


The Caitian's Paw

by RaceCloud



Category: Furry (Fandom), Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alien Character(s), Alien/Human Relationships, Caitians, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Furry, Humor, Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Original Character(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:33:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 68,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23918362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaceCloud/pseuds/RaceCloud
Summary: Romance blossoms onboard the USS Hood between Lieutenant Shiboline M'Ress and the ship's first officer. Starts off slow, will eventually get real smutty real hard, but will maintain a plot throughout that builds upon their relationship and the challenges they face together.
Relationships: Shiboline M'Ress/Original Male Character
Comments: 13
Kudos: 18





	1. Epilogue is Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Yorktown station, a performance of Shakespeare's "As You Like It" is about to end. And a relationship that will bring two unlikely people together is about to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only wrote this because I think M'Ress deserves more love. If you also think she deserves more love, this is the fanfic for you! I couldn't think of a good pairing I liked, so I made one up. Not a self-insert character, more of an Anonymous Character. Only he's a human man, not a green man. Will feature scenes inspired by SFW and NSFW fanart of M'Ress I've found across the Internet. Will link to them when relevant.
> 
> Please excuse any grammatical errors. I'm not so good at editing my own work. I believe I got them all, but you never know. If there are any, it'll be missing words or the wrong word that's almost the right word.

A spotlight came on above the stage. A Caitian woman was alone, sitting solemnly upon a lone fake stump set dead in the middle of the light. The overheard beam burned bright and heavy upon her golden fur and as she brought her head up, the wicked gleam of her toothy grin caught in the revelry of the streaming light.

“It is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue,” she said with a purr, “but it is no more unhandsome than to see the lord the prologue. If it be true that good wine needs no bush, ‘tis true that a good play needs no epilogue.”

She stood at this point, stretching lazily and then clasping her arms behind her back.

“Yet to good wine they do use good bushes, and good plays prove the better by the help of good epilogues.”

A look of indecision and confusion spread across her furred face as she broke eye contact with the audience only for a moment to look up to the sky, as if silently asking the invisible stars for guidance.

“What a case I am in then, that am neither a good epilogue nor cannot insinuate with you in the behalf of a good play!”

She threw out her arms in exasperation and did a playful twirl, making sure to face the audience by the end of it.

“I am not furnished like a beggar, therefore to beg will not become me: my way is to _conjure_ you,” she leaned ever so slightly forward and allowed that gleaming smile to play further across her mouth, “and I’ll begin with the women. I charge you, O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of this play as please you.”

The Caitian’s smile then became almost sultry.

“And I charge you, O men, for the love you bear to women—as I perceive by your _simpering_ ,” she leaned further out, all her feminine wiles at play, “none of you hates them—that between you and the women the play may please.”

She ended that bit with a wink and stood taller, collecting herself to her full height.

"If I were a woman,” she paused knowingly with an almost imperceptible shrug, “I would kiss as many of you as had beards that pleased me, complexions that liked me and breaths that I defied not. And, I am sure, as many as have good beards or good faces or sweet breaths will, for my kind offer, when I make curtsy, bid me… farewell.”

She bowed low and graciously, signaling the modest audience to reward her with a joyous applause.

Atticus Noon joined in with the standing ovation to this wonderful little performance. When Noon began his aimless trek to enjoy the beauty of Yorktown one last time before setting out into space proper, finding an amateur performance of Shakespeare’s "As You Like It” in a park was not exactly what he expected. But as he came in on the tail end of the first act, he decided to stick around. It always fascinated him to see how other species adapted Terran works, and even though this show was mostly played straight, the novelty of a Caitian playing the lead and seeing a Vulcan absolutely dominate the role of Touchstone the fool was not lost in translation.

And what a lovely lead she was. As the rest of the performers came out to give a final group bow, Noon’s eyes were drawn to the Caitian woman. Creamy fur, golden-eyed, and golden-brown hair cascading down her back. There was an elegance to her form, an animalistic beauty that was soft and denoted an untamed wildness. Noon could certainly see why other species were often romantically drawn to Caitians. But such things did not concern him at this point in his life. He had more pressing issues to keep to the front of his mind. As the crowd began to disperse and the cast began talking to fans, Noon gave a few more respectful claps before turning away and walking further into the park.

As the artificial night created by Yorktown’s advanced day/night cycle systems marched slowly along, he realized it would almost be time to head back to his quarters and try to get some rest. Before the big day tomorrow became a reality. Noon meandered around the park, not really looking for anything beyond the general splendor of one of Yorktown’s finest public spaces. He settled on a bench resting atop a small slope that glided down to meet the shore of a crystal-clear lake. Water spurted from underwater fountains below the surface, creating a pleasant artistic beauty. People of all shapes, sizes, and species walked and laughed and ate small confections. Noon relaxed further to truly appreciate the wonder of the peace that surrounded him.

This. This is why he was in Starfleet. Because he believed in this. That the Federation is a shining light of peace and comfort to be shared across the dark vastness of space. With all peoples. No matter who they may be.

Noon let his mind wander for several minutes. He continued to drift before something caught his eye, bringing him out of his mental stupor. Making their way from the opposite end of the lake was the Caitian, her Vulcan co-star, and a Human woman. Probably a fan, judging by how she fawned over the two amateur actors. As they drew closer to his end of the lake, the fangirl gave a clumsy Vulcan salute and ran off in a giddy gallop. The Caitian stifled a laugh while the Vulcan cocked a single eyebrow in something that looked to be halfway between amusement and annoyance. The two of them continued along the path by the lake for a few more minutes before separating. The Vulcan giving a much more dignified farewell salute.

The Caitian was alone then, standing by the lakeside, enjoying the view seemingly as much as Noon was. He thought for a moment if he should say something to her. It seemed rude to disturb her, but he also felt uncomfortable as a voyeur. Deciding to risk the rudeness, he straightened up and called out to her.

“Oh, Rosalind!” he yelled. She wasn’t too far away from his bench so he didn’t have to call too loudly, although he knew her enhanced auditory senses would have been able to hear him from halfway across the lake. As she glanced to where Noon had called from, he added, “Your performance earlier was outstanding!” Her curious expression turned into a coy sort of amusement as she brushed her hair back and grinned.

“Thank you! _Mrowwwrrr._ So you saw our little show, then?” she asked, sauntering up the incline towards the bench.

“Oh yes,” he replied, “I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to enjoy a little Shakespeare in the park.”

“Ah, a true appreciator of the arts. And here I thought we didn’t get the word out long enough beforehand to attract a _true_ connoisseur,” she said with a friendly purr.

“You’re giving me far too much credit. I found your show by coincidence,” he clarified.

“Oh. Really?” the Caitian seemed disappointed by that, her ears even drooping slightly. “Pity. I guess we didn’t get the word out then. Next time we do a show, we have to get better advertisement.” She sat down on the bench next to Noon and rested one leg atop the other. The coat she wore over her costume rode up somewhat, revealing a substantial amount of her legs as her tail playfully wagged back and forth. “So… what brought you out at this late hour? Hopefully not a late-night rendezvous with some strange woman.”

“No, nothing like that,” Noon dismissed, doing his best to ignore the hypnotic swing of her tail, “Although, if you don’t mind me saying… there is something I do find strange about you.”

“I don’t mind you saying and, please, do tell,” she said with a curious sort of grin.

“You see, I thought I had met a Caitian before,” he explained. “The Caitians I had seen had tails but looked very much the Terran-like standard. You know, with skin and whatnot.”

“Then they were not full-blooded Caitians,” the Caitian woman stated simply. “I hope seeing a full-blooded Caitian now does not disappoint… _mrewwrrr_.” She made a significant effort to stretch out, showing off her exposed fur and tapping her claws on the bench.

Noon chuckled at that. Making a concerted effort to keep the mood friendly, he said, “No, not at all. Coming to this park turned out to be quite the learning experience.”

“And why exactly did you come to this park, if not for the entertainment or the finest exotic beauties the Federation has to offer?” she inquired.

“I’m in Starfleet and I’m shipping out on the _Hood_ tomorrow. I guess I wanted to have a few more breaths of fresh air in me.” At the mention of the _Hood_ , the Caitian sat up, her coat restoring a generous amount of decency to her figure and her tail folding down and resting in her lap.

“The _Hood_?” she asked. “You’re serving on the _Hood_?”

“I am. Chief of Security _and_ First Officer,” he replied. The Caitian somehow managed to sit up even further and stiffened.

“Then that would make you Commander Atticus Noon,” she said, nodding as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“It would. But… how would you know that?” he asked. But Noon already figured he knew the answer. He had an idea that this might just be the Caitian assigned to the _Hood_ , but he wanted to leave open the possibility for error. Assumptions make an ass out of everyone. As it turned out, that was unnecessary as the Caitian chuckled politely to herself before standing at attention.

“Lieutenant Shiboline M’Ress, Communications Officer assigned to the USS _Hood_ due to leave Yorktown station tomorrow. Sir,” she added an extra layer of polite purring to that last word as she continued to stand at rapt attention. Noon found her performance amusing and waved a hand at her to sit.

“At ease, Lieutenant. Duty hasn’t even begun yet. No need for proper introductions until tomorrow.” M’Ress retook her seat. She didn’t have the same loose sitting posture as she had before, but she was visibly more relaxed.

“Good. I’d hate to have to end my vacation short by running into my superior officer and getting dragged into _formality_ ,” she said, adding some mock disgust onto the last word.

“No, no. We wouldn’t want that. Think of the tragedy,” he said. Whatever tension had built up had easily been defused. Good. Noon didn’t need to have any of the crew starting off their voyage with the jitters or any misconceptions about him.

“It’s just surprising is all,” M’Ress said. “I never expected to run across another of my crew in the park, let alone my ship’s first officer. Makes me paranoid.”

“Stranger things have happened in this universe, I’m sure of it,” Noon pointed out.

“I suppose… _mrowwrr_ … which begs another question, if you’ll indulge me.”

“Go ahead. I’m a… _mostly_ open book.”

“You seem quite young for a first officer, aren’t you? Let alone the Chief of Security.”

“You would be correct. Apparently, I’m something like the ninth or tenth youngest person to make it to first officer.”

“Ninth or tenth? I expected there to be fewer.”

“Hey, I’m in my late twenties. It isn’t like I’m some sort of baby.”

“Still. Quite the accomplishment.”

“Well, get enrolled into enough Honors courses and pre-req programs and you’ll find your way to the top sooner than later. Not that I’m planning on making captain any time soon.”

“But there has to be more to it than that.”

“Maybe… one or two things. Needless to say, my situation is a little unique and… a little unstable. But enough about that, I’d much rather hear about you.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. I want to know my crew better than I know the back of my hand.”

“My, how intimate. I’m sorry to disappoint, but there isn’t much to my rise to the glory of Communications Officer. I wanted to be in engineering, but because of my species’ gifted ears, I was encouraged to pursue communications as a steppingstone.” M’Ress leaned back against the bench and gazed starward. “Someday, I’m hoping to make it to Chief Engineer.”

“Is that your subtle way of getting me to help pad your resume with a first officer’s recommendation?”

M’Ress put a paw to her chest in faux outrage.

“Perish the thought, sir!”

“Good. Because my recommendations don’t come easy. You’ll have to work for a living, Lieutenant.”

“ _Mrowr_ … Of course, sir.”

“You don’t have to call me ‘sir,’ M’Ress. We’re off-duty.”

“Of course I don’t. Sir,” she purred assuringly. There was a quiet moment before they both started chuckling. M’Ress got comfortable again before continuing.

“Anyway, so here I am. Living out the whirlwind life of a Communications Officer on the frontiers of space,” she said.

“Why the _Hood_ in particular? Did you get assigned, or…?”

“No, I had my pick. And it came down to either the _Hood_ or the _Enterprise_. And the Enterprise seemed a little too…” she struggled to find the right word.

“Exciting?” Noon offered, knowing full well of the _Enterprise’s_ brash reputation.

“Explosion-friendly,” she corrected. “Besides, they already have a comms officer, which would leave me as the relief. And I’d rather take a lead role.”

“Well I promise to do my best to make sure we almost die in a hellfire of explosions every so often. Just to make sure you won’t feel like you’re missing out with the _Enterprise_.”

“Oh, would you? that sounds marvelous!” Her mock enthusiasm coming out strong as she clasped her hands together. “Although, I wouldn’t think Captain Dodge would appreciate you endangering his ship on a regular basis.”

“I assure you I will bring all hellfire-related explosions through the proper chain of command before endangering the lives of my subordinate officers and crewmen.”

“I feel safer already, Commander,” she said with a cool grin.

“At any rate, I expect you to lead all theatrical matters during our voyage.”

“Oh, stop. That was just a bit of fun before getting down to business. Theater is only one of my hobbies.”

“What are the others?”

“That’ll have to wait for another time, I’m afraid,” she said, standing up and stretching. “It’s well past my bedtime and I need to get some decent sleep if I hope to perform my first day duties to the satisfactory level expected by my superior officers.”

“Well then, far be it for me to keep you,” Noon responded and stood as well. He stuck out his hand and M’Ress took it in her paw. Her grip was soft, but firm. And warm. “Until tomorrow, Lieutenant. I expect you to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.” M’Ress giggled and brought her tail up between them, waggling it playfully.

“ _Mrowwr_ … It can’t get much bushier than it already is, Commander. But I will try my best.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he said and let go of her paw. His own hand felt colder for the loss of contact with her fur. She turned to walk away.

As she strode away across the grass, Noon called out, “Fare thee well, Rosalind!” She turned around and while walking backwards gave him a slight bow.

“As I make my curtsy, bid me farewell!” she called and back turned around, fading away from sight. Noon stared after her for a while before making his own way home though the long warm night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there was the first chapter! Hope you got some enjoyment out of it! I'm hoping to release at least one chapter a week. The smut won't start getting smutty until Chapter 4. Hold out until then if that's what you're here for. If anyone is actually reading this and cares, let me know, and I'll speed up the release of chapters. They're all done, I just have to edit and post them. Like I said, at least one a week, but more if I can get to it and if there's actual push for it.
> 
> Also something of a note, I borrowed character names off the Hood's personnel roster from a wiki. Dodge is one of them, and you'll be meeting the rest in the next chapter! I didn't bother to try and hold to whatever characterizations they had before in whatever non-canon novel they first appeared or were mentioned in. Just decided to make them my own as best I could.
> 
> Now that that's out of the way:
> 
> NEXT TIME ON STAR TREK: THE CAITIAN'S PAW...
> 
> "THE BOLD"
> 
> We meet the crew of the USS Hood as she's prepared to make her way out into the final Frontier.


	2. The Bold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The USS Hood is prepared to set off into the final frontier and we meet the principle crew for her voyage.

“So, was she attractive or what?”

“What does it matter?”

“You never trust any species more attractive than your own. I mean, you just met this woman in a park. For all you know she could have been a Klingon spy!”

“A _Klingon spy_. You should really listen to yourself sometime. You’ll probably get a laugh or two out of it.”

The next morning, Noon was well on his way to boarding the _Hood_ when he ran into Lt. Hal Simmons, his new second-in-command of security. The two had worked together before so Noon was well-aware of his “easy-going” attitude. But he also knew that when it was time to work, Simmons buttoned up better than the rest of them. Off hours though, Simmons was one to get to the point quickly, societal niceties be damned. He also had a penchant to exaggerate, something Simmons knew he was aware of, but did nothing to alleviate it.

“You still didn’t answer my question,” Simmons continued, as the two of them walked through the crowd towards the docking bay which housed the _Hood_.

“What I know is that I’m her superior officer, we’re on friendly terms, and I intend for it to go no further than that.”

“Your loss. More for the rest of us. I mean, if I had hit it off with an attractive Caitian, spy or not, I wouldn’t throw that away.”

“I’m not interested. I’m just trying to get through this assignment without shooting myself in the foot. You know what I went through to get here. I’m not going to jeopardize this for anything.”

“No, I hear ya, I hear ya.” Simmons said this with finality. But after a moment, he added: “Still though.”

That made Noon laugh.

The two got the rest of the way to the docking bay without any more serious conversation. However, even if they were in the middle of an important life-or-death talk of survival, they would have been silenced by the sight of the _Hood_. She was a classic _Constitution_ -class vessel. Elegant, sleek, and beautiful. She did not have as much adventure under her belt as other ships in the class, but the Hood had that same raw charisma every _Constitution_ vessel shared.

As Noon and Simmons made their way onto the loading dock, it did not take long for them to catch sight of Captain Kenneth Dodge. He radiated authority as he went over a few last-minute preparations with the loading crew. Dodge looked up from the tricorder of some ensign he was talking to and upon catching sight of his first officer, he waved Noon over to him. As the two security officers made their way to the captain, Noon could hear Simmons whisper, “Okay, business face time, business face time,” before exhaling and going into said “business face” time. Noon had to fight back smile as he approached Dodge and stood at attention.

“Sir, Commander Atticus Noon reporting for duty,” he said.

“Glad to have you, Commander. At ease,” Dodge said. He glanced at Simmons. “Who’re you?”

“Lieutenant Hal Simmons, sir.”

“Good for you. I think you have someplace else to be, Lieutenant.”

“That I do, sir,” and with a nod to his superior officers, Simmons hastily marched off towards the ship.

“Walk with me, Commander.” The two men began a steady pace aft towards the shuttle bay. “I wanted to get all my core officers together before setting off. A bit of a meet and greet. You get a chance to meet any of them?” Noon had known Dodge for a few years now. They weren’t exactly intimate friends, but they were familiar enough to gauge each other’s read on people.

“Sort of. I had a run-in with our comms officer in a park last night.”

“Ah, the Caitian. Lieutenant… M’Ress? What were the two of you doing in a park?”

“She was performing in a play and I happened to come across the show.”

“Which play?”

“ _As You Like It_.”

“Hm,” he murmured with a slight twinge of disapproval.

“More of a Marlowe kind of man, Captain?” Noon asked with a twinge of humor. Dodge ignored the question.

“What’re the odds of her turning us into a theater troupe out there?”

“That remains to be seen."

“Her attitude?”

“Friendly, personable. Inquisitive. Knows when to snap to attention.”

“Classic Caitian, then. Excellent. They’re good luck, you know.”

“Really, sir?”

“Yup. Them and Vulcans. It’s always a smart idea to have at least one on board any vessel.”

“I didn’t think they covered that in the Academy manuals, Captain.”

“You just need to get better reading material, Commander.” The two were almost to the shuttle docking bay. Everything around them was coming together smoothly. It would not be long before they were ready. Noon loved the feeling of a ship ready to cast off.

“When’s this meeting scheduled for, sir?”

“About five minutes from now. Core officers are already here, they should be making their way down. Let’s meet our team.”

The shuttle bay doors opened, and the two walked in. Noon saw that they weren’t the first to get here. After getting caught unawares in the park last night, he had gone over the manifest again just to be sure he did not forget anyone’s face.

Already present in the shuttle bay was Dr. Kai Chen, the ship’s chief medical officer, and Lieutenant Commander Gauri Vedra, their chief of engineering and second officer. Chen was a slim, gangly man with short, well-kempt hair. He was speaking to someone on his tricorder, while Vedra was… meditating? At least that’s what it looked like to Noon. She had long dark hair and dark skin characteristic to the Indian peninsula. Catching sight of his commanding officers, Chen signed off and went to attention while Vedra, upon hearing the doors open, had already hopped off the crate she was sitting on and came to attention alongside Chen.

“Doctor. Chief. Glad to see you two are early,” Dodge said.

“Wanted to make sure I didn’t miss anything, Captain,” Vedra said.

“Seems hard to do with your eyes shut,” Dodge said skeptically.

“I was well aware of everything going on in this room,” Vedra said with confidence. Dodge considered that for a moment.

“Mr. Noon?”

“Yes, sir?” Noon responded.

“I want you to make sure I have a compliment of _tennis balls_ on hand so that the next time I see Miss Vedra meditating, she can catch one right out of the air without looking,” he said with a smug grin.

“You throw me three and I’ll juggle them for you while recalibrating the dilithium core, Captain,” Vedra served back with an even smugger grin.

“I’ll hold you to that, Chief,” the Captain said. “And Doctor. Hopefully I didn’t pull you away from anything important.”

“Not at all. Just standard tests for all the crew. No one’s hurt yet,” Chen said.

“Ah, well, give it time,” Dodge said. “We’ll give the others a few more minutes before starting this—ah, speak of the devils. Here they are.”

The shuttle bay doors opened and in walked a Human male, a Vulcan woman, and Lt. M’Ress. Noon, for whatever reason, felt a mixture of satisfaction and nervousness seeing her again. If she felt anything similar, she didn’t show it. Instead, her face was straight and mostly expressionless. Save for the innate habit of the Caitian face always looking they’re smiling at some private joke only they knew. Noon kept his composure in check and instead of focusing on the Lieutenant, he instead looked at the Vulcan. He made sure Captain Dodge knew he was looking at the Vulcan and shook his head at the wink Dodge gave him.

The core staff then lined up one after the other, facing the Captain and the Commander.

“Morning, everyone. I’m Captain Kenneth Dodge and I will be your commanding officer for this voyage. The _Hood_ is a damn fine ship and I’m proud to be running her for the foreseeable future. I expect you all to give her the same care and attention a woman of her quality deserves. However, in my experience I’ve found it is difficult for my officers to do so without first being acquainted with one another. So, we’re going to play the pleasantries game, get to work, and get this fine lady dancing across those stars. Commander, why don’t you start us off.” Dodge then took a step back to allow Noon to come forward.

All eyes were on him. He stood tall and cleared his throat.

“Hello there. I’m Commander Atticus Noon, Chief of Security and first officer. I’m here to make sure you all stay safe, so let’s everyone follow the rules and have ourselves a safe trip. Also, I know I may be a little younger than the first officers you’ve been used to, but I assure you if I didn’t know how to do the job I wouldn’t be here. That’s everything.” Noon stepped back, but Dodge rolled his eyes a threw out a hand in exasperation.

“Come on, Mr. Noon,” he said, “Give ‘em something else.”

“Like... what, sir?”

“I don’t know… a hobby!” Dodge exclaimed with a shrug.

“I…” he started, “I… like ice hockey? And…”

His eyes flicked over towards Lt. M’Ress.

“…taking moonlit walks through the park.”

That got a few smiles and a couple of quiet chuckles. Noon glanced over to M’Ress. Her smile was just a little more knowing than the rest.

“See? Was that so painful?” Dodge asked.

“Excruciating, sir.”

“And now it’s over. You made it. Chief, you’re up.” Vedra stepped forward.

“Hi there, everybody,” she said with a short wave, “I am Lt. Cmdr. Gauri Vedra, I make sure the engines stay in tip-top shape and I enjoy juggling tennis balls.” She stepped back into line.

“Short, sweet, and to the point. Thank you very much, Miss Vedra. Doctor Chen?” The doctor nervously stepped forward.

“Hello, I am Chief Medical Officer Doctor Kai Chen and I… like saving people’s lives,” he said, ending with a confident nod.

Dodge sighed.

“Can’t make everyone go again so that’s good enough. Mister Banks?” As the doctor stepped back, the next man stepped forward. He had dark skin, short hair, and eyes that spoke to a deep intellect.

“Heya, I’m Lt. Jamal Banks, your resident science officer. I’m from Vancouver and I can play the electric keyboard.”

“Well, what do you know. We may be able to start a band at some point.”

“Don’t make a guy a promise and then break his heart, Captain,” Banks said.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Lieutenant. Next up, we have Miss Novo.” The Vulcan woman stepped forward. She had dark hair cut into the traditional orderly Vulcan style and simmering blue eyes that pierced your soul.

“I am Lieutenant Novo. I shall be your helmsman for this voyage, and I have been known to create puzzles from time to time,” she stepped back as soon as she stopped talking. Dodge cocked an eyebrow.

“What kind of puzzles, Lieutenant?” he asked.

Novo stepped forward again.

“Numerological, puzzle boxes, and brain teasers, sir.” Once she stopped talking, Novo stepped back into line.

“Huh. A Vulcan brain teaser. You’ll have to share one of those some time, Miss Novo. And finally… Miss M’Ress.” M’Ress stepped forward, her tail swishing back and forth in anticipation.

“Hello there, I’m Lieutenant Shiboline M’Ress, _mrowr_. I will serve as your primary communications officer and I enjoy studying the archaeological histories of different Federation worlds.”

“That so?” asked Dodge. “I also hear you’re something of an actor.”

She did not look towards Noon, but the way her tail swished betrayed a hint of annoyance.

“I dabble, sir,” she said nonchalantly. Dodge just looked at her for a moment, and then shrugged.

“Alright then. Now that that’s out of the way…” Dodge clapped his hands together and smiled broadly, “Let’s get to work! I want this ship out of here within the hour. I’ll see you all on the bridge.”

With that, everyone scrambled out of the room and out in the hall, separating to their various departments. Noon called a turbolift. He had to do a head count, make sure patrols and pre-flight safety checks were being performed and—his thoughts drifted away as he noticed Lt. M’Ress standing beside him. She hadn’t made a sound and hadn’t said a word. Her tail flicked back and forth. She stood there in that way someone does when they have nothing to say, but also very obviously have something to say. He decided to break the tension first.

“Hello, Lieutenant,” he said.

“Commander,” She replied, her voice neutral and lacking much of the purr she usually held in it. Having failed to break the tension with his poorly thought-out greeting, they stood in silence until the turbolift arrived. Noon stood back and allowed M’Ress to enter the turbolift first before joining her. The doors shut and the silence continued until Noon attempted another go.

“I would like to apologize, Lieutenant. I didn’t know you wanted to keep that part of your life a secret. If I did, I wouldn’t have said—”

“I’m not bothered by it,” she said, cutting him off. “Why would you think I was bothered by it?”

“Your, uhh… your tail keeps hitting me.” And indeed, her tail was swinging towards him, gently but firmly tapping him on the back in annoyance. She immediately corrected this and held it straight. She coughed in embarrassment and averted her eyes.

“S-sorry, sir. Sometimes it has a mind of its own.”

“Understood, Lieutenant.”

“Also, I’m not… I’m not upset. I mean it. It took me by surprise is all. If I were actually upset with you, you’d probably have something broken,” she said.

“Then I guess I should consider myself lucky. I’ll be sure to keep any of your personal details you share between us, unless you want them to be shared. To avoid any further surprises. Or breakage,” he said smiling.

“Thank you, sir. _Mrrowrr_.”

Her eyes warmed and she smiled in return. As Noon looked at her, he could not help but notice how lovely she was in her uniform and out of civilian clothes. He wasn’t exactly sure what Caitians did in terms of cosmetics, but whatever she decided to wear for her first day, it was much more subdued than last night. Inviting and almost enchanting in a subtle sort of way. When he realized he was staring, he broke eye contact and looked at the turbolift wall.

She did the same, but much slower and she pushed her hair back while doing so. As the turbolift slowed down, she gently swung her tail towards Noon and lightly patted his leg. He looked at her, but the doors opened and she quickly got out.

“I’ll see you on the bridge, Commander,” she called to him. He could not see her face, but he was certain she was smiling to herself.

* * *

Fifty minutes later, Noon was exiting another turbolift onto the bridge. His check-in with his security team had gone as planned without any hiccups. They were a solid bunch and required little to no babysitting. Which was the way things should be. He needed them to manage autonomously in case his duties as first officer ever took precedent over being chief of security. He also had Simmons as a capable second-in-command to cover that gap if the need ever arose.

Noon strode over to the security station, noting that Lt. Novo, Lt. Banks, and the navigator, a short ensign named Alan Paultic were already at their stations. Noon took his seat at his own station and briefly wondered where M’Ress was before the turbolift on the other side of the bridge opened and she waltzed onto the bridge, taking her seat at comms. Not long after, Captain Dodge entered and took his place at the heart of the bridge.

“How are we looking, people?” he asked.

“Communications fully functioning, Captain, _mrowwr_ ,” M’Ress reported.

“Tactical systems online and purring like a kitten, sir,” Noon said. He didn’t really know why he went with the cat metaphor. He supposed M’Ress was still on his mind, but quickly shook that off. He needed to stay focused.

“Flight systems and navigation are ready and operational,” Novo said.

“Engineering?” Dodge inquired while pressing a communication button on his chair. Vedra’s voice echoed over the intercom.

“We’re all set down here, sir. Just waiting on you to get us going.”

“Then let’s get going,” Dodge ordered, his voice filling with energy. “Start launch procedures and then pull us out, Miss Novo.”

“Aye, sir,” she replied.

Noon couldn’t see the _Hood_ taking off, but he could imagine it. Seeing the engines light up with power as the ship slowly pulled out of the docking bay. Smoothly picking up speed and slipping away from Yorktown, going further and further into space. After she gained safe distance from the station to go into warp, Dodge gave the order.

“Let’s fly,” he said, signaling the jump to warp with a wave of his hand.

“This is my favorite part,” M’Ress said aloud. Noon looked over and saw that she was looking at him. As the _Hood_ warped into the beautiful darkness of space, he smiled at her.

And she smiled back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it! We're off and we've met the gang! They won't play too large of a role, but I think it's good to have established our supporting cast. Bit of a slow start, but things will be picking up steam in the next chapter. Speaking of which...
> 
> [Dramatic Narrator Voice]
> 
> NEXT TIME ON STAR TREK: THE CAITIAN'S PAW...
> 
> "TOGETHER IN THE DARK"
> 
> An away mission could have deadly consequences as M'Ress deals with a peculiar medical condition.


	3. Together in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An away mission goes awry as M'Ress struggles with a unique medical condition.

Hurtling through the depths of space does wonders for interpersonal relationships. After only a few months, Noon felt like he knew the entire crew as if they were old friends. They had hit a string of easy-going, morale-boosting missions mostly involving deliveries to starved worlds, minor support for other damage ships, escorting science craft, and cataloguing various uninhabited systems. Noon didn’t mind it, but he could tell the Captain was getting antsy.

He understood why, of course. _Constitution_ -Class vessels were known to get into the thick of things and get involved in matters both serious and downright _weird_. So far, the weirdest thing to happen was a hypnotist trying to make off with a shipment of dilithium crystals. But he did not make it any further than the hall outside the transporter room where Simmons had tackled him to the ground.

Still, the down time helped the crew familiarize with each other. And it had helped Noon form a stronger friendship with Lt. M’Ress. It only took a few lunches for Noon to find her completely fascinating. Her insights into Terran anthropology was astounding, he found out thing about his species that he didn’t even know. It was during one of these talks that he found himself in the mess hall with her, discussing the finer points of Earth’s past.

“…so, basically, many of the governments of the early 21st century functioned in much the same way as those did centuries before,” M’Ress said, “The only difference being the power of the ‘king’ changing hands between a few select ultra-rich oligarchical groups rather than one particular person.”

“No wonder Earth’s civilizations collapsed,” Noon said, solemnly.

“True, but at least they reached quite a peak before collapsing. My planet never got that far. We were fortunate to have been discovered before the modern rules of First Contact were established. We had all the requirements for Federation membership, but just _barely_.”

“Why did your species only _barely_ make it that far?” Noon asked.

“Hmph. The same thing that empowers us to this day: loyalty. _Mrrow_.”

“Loyalty?”

“Yes. Caitians value loyalty above all other things. And _loyalty_ to the clan is very strong. The other Federation species helped show us a better way, but my people are still divided amongst centuries-old tribal lines. Cooperation takes time and it almost cost us membership into the Federation. It’s often… very stifling,” M’Ress said with a tint of sadness in her voice.

“You’re still on good terms with your clan?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. My whole planet supports the Federation, but there are clans that work _extremely_ close with Starfleet. Like mine. I was chosen to serve. It’s what I always wanted, and I fought hard to be able to go to the Academy. But I serve Starfleet at my clan’s discretion. If they decide it would be best for me to go home, I would have to abide by that.”

“I thought you said your clan works very closely with Starfleet?”

“It does, but the clan is loyal to itself above all other allegiances. It is only a hypothetical, but if it came down to it… I would have to follow my clan’s orders. In all likelihood, they would have worked out a deal with Starfleet to replace me regardless so it isn’t like I would be betraying Starfleet orders.”

“I see,” Noon said ruefully. “And who runs your clan? Who’s the authority?”

“My grandmother, my mother, my aunt, and my father all act as clan authorities,” M’Ress explained. “They’re a kind of unofficial council. Every clan has something like that.”

Noon nodded and took a deep drink out of his glass. M’Ress continued.

“Your people got to free themselves of the terrors of their past before stepping out onto the galactic stage,” M’Ress said, “While mine carried our past into the stars with us. That is what I admire most about humans, I think. Your species was swallowed by chaos but got to be reborn into something grander. An instrumental part of this Federation. No ship in Starfleet would ever dream of flying the stars without a Human onboard! For good reason!”

“Okay, okay, enough. _Flatterer_ ,” he said, with a sly smile.

“I only speak the truth,” M’Ress insisted. “There is a strength in humans that can never be broken. Your people have proven that time and time again. And because of it, the Federation will never be broken!” The enthusiasm she spoke with slowly faded as she continued. “But my people? All we can do is follow what we have done for thousands of years. It only shows how unfit we are to be among species like Humans, Vulcans, Andorians and so many others. We like to imagine we value culture, philosophy, the arts… we make a great effort to act civilized, but we are still stuck in so much _old tradition_ , we’re hardly better than our broken sister-species or our ancient savage—”

Noon cut her off, “Okay, stop that. Your people deserve to be in the Federation as much as any other. And it isn’t like humanity woke up one day and became what we are now. We had growing pains; it took us years after first contact with the Vulcans to clean up our act. At least Caitians aren’t murdering each other in droves for the sake of bloodlust. Lieutenant, look at me.”

She did.

“Your people have something Humans had to beat into ourselves over decades of suffering: _dedication_. Dedication to each other, to their pursuits of knowledge, to the Federation… and even though it’s only been a few short months… to this ship.” That got her to smile.

“That remains to be proven,” she said.

“You won’t break. I know it.”

“ _Mrowr_. Now who’s being the flatterer?”

“Seems like I had to. Our lunch had taken a truly dour turn.”

“That tends to happen when I think about home too much,” M’Ress said.

“Didn’t you say you were on good terms with your clan?”

“I am, but that doesn’t mean I always agree with their plans. You see, I—” Before M’Ress could finish what she was saying, both of their communicators beeped, signaling the end of their lunch. Noon gave M’Ress a half-coked smile while pulling out his communicator and gave a good ol’ flip.

“Noon here, go ahead.”

“Noon, this is Dodge. Is Lt. M’Ress with you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I need you both in Debriefing Room 2. We have a…” He seemed to pause with disgust before finishing. “…mission.”

“Right away, sir. Noon out,” and with that, he snapped his communicator shut.

“Duty calls, _mrowrr_ ,” M’Ress said and helped clean up their food.

* * *

“So,” Captain Dodge said when both M’Ress and Noon had settled into the debriefing room, “Here’s the deal. We got ourselves another milk delivery. Nothing we haven’t done before, only this time comes with a couple of catches. Apparently, this world… Titamungo?” he glanced at Banks, who gave him a nod, “Titamungo came up with possible readings for dilithium during the last planetary scan. So of course, the admiralty is now bending over backwards for the… Mungoloids?” Banks raised his hand flat shook it slightly from side to side, “I’m going to keep calling them Mungoloids. Anyway, so now we’re dropping off a huge shipment of supplies in exchange for their help to locate this possible stash of crystals.”

“And what’s the other catch?” Noon asked.

“As it just so happens, the Mungoloids can only speak in a high-pitched frequency that most species can’t hear. They can hear us fine but trying to hear them is like attempting to decipher a tea kettle’s commencement speech. Which is where Lieutenant M’Ress comes in. She can translate between the Mungoloids and the science team. At least, that’s what I hope. Can you?”

“Of course, sir,” M’Ress said. “Ultrasonic speech patterns are easy enough to translate as anything else, _mmrowwrr_.”

“That’s what I want to hear,” Dodge said. He turned towards Noon. “And you’ll be leading the away mission.”

“You’re not going, sir? I thought you’d take any excuse to get your feet dirty.”

“I would love to waste time on this wild crystal chase, trust me, I would. But I’ve also been informed I have a debriefing with the admiralty board. Something about possible Romulan activity ramping up in the near future. Apparently, it’s serious enough that they have to pull back all the exploratory vessels for some big meet and greet, so we’ll be dropping you kids off while I go have a chat with mom and pop.”

“Understood. Who’s all going?”

“You, Lt. M’Ress, Mr. Banks, his team, and whatever security personnel you’ll need. As soon as we pull into orbit around the planet, we’ll let you kids off, go meet with the folks, bring back those supplies with us, and we’ll all be back together for a big ol’ group hug. You’ll be there for a couple of days so go get ready for an extended field trip, people.”

And with that, they were dismissed to prep for the mission. Banks went to gather his team, M’Ress left to grab some communication gear and other supplies she might need, and Noon went to recruit two security officers he knew were available. He’d leave Simmons on the _Hood_ as acting chief of security. No need to go throwing all their leadership into a single pot. Instead he decided on Silas and Puck. They were a little scrappy, but solid enough in a fight.

M’Ress, meanwhile, was genuinely giddy over this assignment. Going on an away mission was rare enough, but this time she’d actually be able to do things! Real things! Basically acting as a glorified communicator, but it was still things! She practically skipped to grab some additional communication equipment that might come in handy, as well as her personal essentials. When she went to grab her heat suppressant, she paused.

Something that was a little embarrassing to discuss openly with other species was the fact that Caitians went through a heat cycle. All Caitians, male and female both, went through monthly heat flashes, their biology flaring up to demand that they breed. Sometimes the flashes strike more often than that and it hit females more often than males. It was something of a problem during their early days with the Federation, but a medication to suppress the urges had been developed by Starfleet scientists, allowing Caitians to function without “bothering” their crew members.

M’Ress paused before grabbing her heat suppressant because it was unlikely she would need it. She was still three weeks off from her next cycle and their trip would only last a few days. A suppressant would only take up room and if it happened to be discovered by another crew member on accident… she did not look forward to having _that_ conversation. She put the suppressant back in her medical drawer and hurried to the transporter room.

* * *

The trip down to the planet had gone about as smoothly as any transporter ride could go. When they rematerialized on the surface, the first thing M’Ress did was take in a chest-full of fresh air. Titamungo had all the high-grade amenities of an M-class planet. Blue skies, thick foliage, and crystal-clear water. It was perfect.

But of course, they had a job to do. Their team, which consisted of Banks and three of his science team, Noon, two of his security team, and M’Ress, immediately set for the nearby town. When they arrived, the locals were friendly enough. They had standard builds, grey skin, thin arms and legs, double sets of eyes, and where they lacked mouths, they had vocal flaps near their cheeks that emitted high-pitched communication. Noon met with the town’s leader and introduced himself.

“Hello there, I’m Commander Atticus Noon of the Federation starship _Hood_. This is Lt. M’Ress and Lt. Banks. I’ve been told you’re already aware of why we’re here,” he said. The town leader gave a brief bow in greeting before speaking. M’Ress had only a moment of difficultly understanding what was being said before her ears adjusted.

_Greetings, Commander Atticus of the Hood. I am Elder Repooh and, yes, we received a Starfleet transmission informing us of the possibility of your arrival. We welcome all envoys of the Federation._

Noon blinked in mild confusion at Elder Repooh. To everybody else in the group, the Elder had given off a series of barely perceptible high-pitched whistles. Noon coughed and looked at M’Ress for help. She was just standing back, smiling to herself, waiting for him to give her a signal.

“He says his name is Elder Repooh. He received our transmission and welcomes us as friends,” she said.

“Great!” Noon said. “Thank you for welcoming us, Elder. Lt. M’Ress here will act as a translator for us, I hope that’s alright.” The Elder glanced at M’Ress and his eyes smiled at the Commander.

_Of course! Having other species understand us is usually quite the chore. The last time your Federation joined us, having your small devices translate was awkward and uncomfortable. This promises to be a much lovelier experience._

The Elder took M’Ress’s paw in his hand.

_I am privileged to meet you, my dear. Welcome to our world._

M’Ress smiled and brushed her hair back at the warm greeting.

“The privilege is mine, Elder. Thank you for allowing me to bridge your conversation,” she said.

_Think nothing of it, my dear. Though, could you explain exactly what you have come for? The transmission promised an exchange of goods and supplies for natural materials? I am unsure as to what that entails, and it does not appear as if you have brought anything of substance with you._

“I had better let my Commander explain that to you,” she said before turning back to Noon. “Sir, the Elder is requesting exactly why we’re here and where the promised supplies are.”

“Right, right, of course,” Noon said. “Elder, we came here in search of what we call dilithium crystals. They’re extremely valuable components we use to power our starships.” The Elder nodded in understanding.

_Yes, dilithium crystals. We have heard of these before._

“He says he knows what you’re talking about, sir,” M’Ress translated.

“Good. That’ll save on some time,” Noon said. “And the goods we promised are with our ship, they’ll arrive when it returns in a few days. It’ll be the first delivery of many, I assure you. Dilithium is extremely rare and helping us locate it will ensure that we pay you back in kind. I hope that’s alright.”

_Of course it is. The Federation has never failed to deliver what they have promised, I have no reason to believe you’ll start now._

“He says we’re good people and he trusts us, sir,” M’Ress said. Elder’s eyes smiled at her, as he gave off a high-pitched chuckle, approving of her translation.

“Excellent. Now, we were hoping to get started as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the scan the probe made was weak, so we’re not sure where to start. We know if the dilithium does exist, it’s somewhere in this area. Is there anything you might know that could help us start our search?” The Elder considered this for a moment, scratching his head in thought, before responding.

 _Actually, there is something you said that caught my attention. Please, walk with me._ The Elder gestured for the group to follow, M’Ress whispering the Elder’s words to Noon as they went. _When our species did travel our solar system before we abandoned space travel for a humbler existence, we used an alternate form of fuel for our vessels. And whenever your Federation came to visit us and mentioned dilithium in passing, it was only ever as that. No one had ever heard the substance referred to as ‘crystals.’ As you mention it now, there is a legend of a hidden crystal cave system in the nearby hills. My people never bothered to explore it as that area was once considered sacred and forbidden._

“So… if it’s sacred, that’ll mean it’s off-limits?” Noon asked.

_Not to worry, you’ll be able to go there. It was only ONCE considered sacred. Not anymore. We still don’t venture there out of habit, but anyone who had considered that area sacred in any meaningful religious way has since passed on. Actually, I think the only ones who do go there are teenagers, daring each other and doing whatever it is teenagers do on formerly sacred ground. Ah, to be young again…_

“He, uhh…” M’Ress thought about how to translate that last bit, “He says we’re good to explore it, sir. Only children go up there now on dares. _Mrroowwr_.”

“Dares? What kind of dares?” Noon asked.

The Elder shrugged.

_Ghost stories, monster stories. I swear it changes from generation to generation. When I was young, I was told there were animals that spit at you if you went anywhere near there. Now they speak of monsters that’ll rip you to pieces or phantoms that steal your breath away. All nonsense, I assure you._

“He says there are a lot of superstitious stories, but nothing concrete.”

“Superstition usually has some basis in fact. Especially when it comes to dark forbidden caves,” Noon said. “Not that I think you’re lying, Elder, but the reports I’ve read involving starship crews going into caves ended up with them fighting some monsters, a hidden cult, or running across an underground society of mud robots.” The Elder looked confused.

_Mud robots?_

“Mud… robots, sir?” M’Ress shared the Elder’s confusion.

“My point,” Noon said, quickly changing the topic, “is that, if there are any doubts or concerns, even the slightest hint, I would greatly appreciate it, Elder.” The Elder merely shook his head.

 _I assure you, Commander, there is nothing of substance to the horror stories of the caves. If the crystals there are the dilithium crystals you speak of, more than likely they were worshipped by our ancestors and that is why the land was forbidden. No ghostly guardians or…_ the Elder chuckled, _…mud robots to speak of. Only the knowledge that any who venture there would be banished for forsaking the rule of law._

“The Elder promises there are no scary mud robots in the caves, sir,” M’Ress said, sharing a moment of humor with the Elder.

“Well alright then. Just so we’re clear,” Noon said. “So where is this ‘formerly’ sacred ground?”

 _Just out beyond this gate._ The Elder had been walking the team through the town, to the other side of the settlement. _It’s about a thirty-minute hike to the cave entrance. I had hoped you would stay a while for a proper greeting, but if you wish to get started immediately, hopefully tonight you will allow us to treat you to a feast. It’s customary that we do so._

“The Elder says the caves are about thirty minutes straight ahead from this gate. He also said he’d like to treat us to a feast later tonight once we’re done with the initial survey,” M’Ress said.

“That’s very kind of you, but we won’t need anything like that,” Noon replied. “Just some temporary lodgings. We don’t want to disturb your community any more than we have to.” The Elder seemed a little disappointed and turned to M’Ress.

_My dear, could you maybe lie to him for me? To tell you the truth, we enjoy treating guests, but I don’t want to offend his sensibilities or get into an argument of ‘oh but we insist’ and you seem like you’re one who would enjoy a jovial evening, I hope? Perhaps you know something to say to him that could skip the back and forth?_

M’Ress had to repress a smile as she coughed and collected herself.

“Sir, the Elder said that the town brought in an unusually large harvest this year and if it isn’t eaten, it’ll all go to waste,” she said, using her straightest poker face. Noon considered this and shrugged.

“Well, if it’s all going to waste anyway, and he’s sure we aren’t imposing, then I suppose we’d be glad to join them at their feast,” Noon said. There was a collective sigh of joy from the other members of the team and the Elder clasped his hands together.

_Excellent! Thank you, my dear. We shall begin preparations immediately and await your return eagerly. What time will you all be returning?_

“He’s asking what time we’ll be back, sir,” M’Ress translated. Noon turned to Banks.

“That’s up to our science team. Mr. Banks, how long are we going to be out there for?” he asked.

“The initial survey shouldn’t take any longer than… four or five hours. Give or take how easy it is to move throughout the caves,” Banks said.

_Very well. Have a good trip, my Federation friends! And when you return, we feast!_

“He’s wishes us well, sir,” M’Ress said.

“Ah, well thank you, Elder. We’ll see you again later tonight,” Noon said. “Team, let’s move.” And with that, their small group walked out of the village and into the dense foliage of the surrounding hills.

It was a pleasant hike, all things considered. It reminded M’Ress of her childhood, when she would take similar walks with her mother and father through the nearby snow-drifted forests of her home. The nostalgia got her thinking and she slowed her walking to match Noon in order to speak with him.

“Sir, I have a confession to make,” she said.

“You’re the one who clogged the public washroom on Deck Three?”

“What? No! I don’t even shed… that much… _mrrrr_ …” she responded, suppressing a blush.

“Good. Because Novo may be in control of her emotions, but she was definitely annoyed in that meeting.”

“It’s not anything like that! I… lied. For the Elder. He wanted to throw us a feast, but he didn’t want to offend you, so I… helped the situation along. Sorry, sir.”

“Is that so? In that case, I shall have to issue disciplinary actions,” Noon said. “At this feast, whatever dessert they give us, you only get _one_ serving.” M’Ress looked offended.

“I wasn’t aware that Starfleet allowed for punishments that are both cruel and unusual, Commander. _Mrrow_...”

“For a crime this severe, I’m taking the rule of law into my own hands. No second desserts. Under any circumstances.”

“Are you sure there’s no way around this?” M’Ress asked, batting her eyelashes and clasping her hands to her chest.

“Well… maybe if you ask _nicely_ ,” Noon said. And the two of them shared a tender laugh. M’Ress liked how easy it was to talk to him. How he reassured her and allowed her to talk freely, even in situations when other officers would expect the upmost professionalism from her.

Her tail began to wag lazily back and forth as her mind wandered. She thought about Noon’s kind words… his warm smile… what he might look like with his shirt off… the feeling of his skin against her fur—

Her mind snapped from the warm haze.

 _What was that!?_ she thought to herself. _Why would I ever think that about him like that!_ Her mind buzzed with confusion.

It was true that when she first met him that night in park, she had initiated some light flirting before she knew who he was. And there were moments of light fondness between them, but…

_But he’s a human! I have no business feeling this way about a human, and a human who is also my commanding officer! My commanding officer… with an enticing jawline and arms that looked strong enough to hold me down and—_

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. This wasn’t right, she was feeling warm and confused. She never felt this way unless…

Unless it was _the heat_. But how!? Her cycle was still three weeks off! This was madness, it made no sense. There was no way just thinking about this Human could have triggered a heat! Strong emotions could put a Caitian in the mood, but for her body to betray her this way, to want to be… _bred by a human_. She didn’t disrespect the commander, and she found humanity to be a noble species. But still the thought of it was… _abnormal_. She didn’t even think it was possible. She knew that many species are sexually compatible, even with Caitians, but she had never heard of a Caitian and a Human being able to… able to…

Her mind swam as she struggled with these thoughts. Noon was completely unaware, of course. All he noticed was that M’Ress had suddenly went rigid and was now quiet. He didn’t know what was the matter with her, but if it was serious, she would say something. So he let it be and continued on.

As the team finally approached the caves, Noon gathered the team outside a large dark opening that looked to run deep below the ground.

“Alright everyone. Let’s get started. Banks, this is your show, how are we proceeding?” he asked.

“Okay,” the science officer started, “My team and I should head in and start scanning. Trevors, I want you to stay outside here and perform some surface scans while rest of us are inside. That’s all I have on my end.”

“Alright,” Noon said, nodding, “Silas, I want you leading the group and Puck, you take the rear. You make sure the ground and rock formations are stable, I don’t want you all trapped or killed in there. Understood? I’ll stay out here and monitor you progress.”

“What’s wrong, Commander? Don’t want to get your hands dirty?” Banks asked.

“Hardly. If something does go wrong in there, we don’t need us both trapped with nothing to do but wait and suffocate.”

“I didn’t know you cared so much, Commander.”

“Come on, Banks. It’s only a precaution. Speaking of which… Lt. M’Ress?” Noon turned towards the comms officer, but she was staring at the ground and lightly chewing on a knuckle. “Lieutenant!” He repeated himself, louder this time, and M’Ress nearly jumped out of her fur.

“Y-YES, SIR!?” she said very loudly.

“Lieutenant, I want you to monitor all communication channels, just in case we get contacted by the _Hood_. Those rumors about the Romulans might be real so I don’t want us to get caught with our pants around our ankles. Understood?” M’Ress thought about catching Noon with his pants around his ankles but shook that thought away.

“Y-yes, Commander. R-right away.”

“Are you feeling alright, Lieutenant?”

“Y-yes, sir, I just got a little… distracted is all.”

“Okay, well, keep your mind focused. We need you watching our butts. Yeah?” he said. M’Ress really hated Human expressions and how they made her… think things. The only solace she took is that whatever heat had struck her, it was only minor and could be easily managed without a suppressant. The only thing to worry about at this point was a wandering mind. She could handle that.

For two days.

Probably.

M’Ress swallowed hard and nodded at Noon.

“Understood, Commander.”

“Good. Now then, we all have our assignments. Let’s get to it.” The team split up, the science team heading down into the cave led by Silas and followed closely by Puck, while Trevors started making surface scans with his tricorder, and M’Ress scooted over to the side to fiddle with one of her communication devices. She still looked distracted and bothered by something so Noon walked over to her.

“Lieutenant?” he called as he approached her. M’Ress groaned inwardly and tried to stay focus on her communicator.

“Yes, sir?” she responded.

“Are you sure you’re alright? You seemed fine earlier, but then… I don’t know what. Is something wrong?”

“N-no, sir. Look, if I seem distracted it’s because… it’s because…”

 _I want you to breed me, you stupid Human!_ her mind screamed silently at him.

M’Ress immediately pushed away that depraved thought and collected herself. Her mind was a mess, but it was still something she could control. She was fine.

“It’s because I’m feeling a little sick, sir. Perhaps there’s… something in the air here that doesn’t agree with my physiology. An allergen, probably.”

“I should probably get Trevors to do a scan of the air and make sure it isn’t something toxic.” Noon turned to call Trevors, but M’Ress quickly grabbed his arm to hold him back.

“N-no! That isn’t necessary, sir! I swear I’m fine!”

“I just want to be safe, M’Ress, excuse me,” and with that he pulled away from and started walking towards the scientist. M’Ress was right behind him and managed to tug his arm hard enough to get him to stop.

“No, stop, please! I’m telling you, I’m fi—"

M’Ress didn’t get to finish her sentence. At that moment, the ground beneath her and Noon gave way, sending the two down a significant drop into a large cavern below. They landed hard, Noon on his back and M’Ress sprawled across him. The ground was soft, and their landing hadn’t broken anything. Noon coughed up some dust and he tried to gauge his surroundings.

“M’Ress?” Noon coughed out. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yes! I’m fine,” she said and upon realizing she was sitting on Noon’s chest, she immediately jumped to her feet and brushed the dust off her uniform. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to… to land on you.”

“No, it’s fine,” Noon said, getting slowly to his feet. “It was like being sat on by a fluffy pillow.” He took a good look around their surroundings. It was a moss-covered cave, a few large stones scattered around. Through the haze of dust, he could make out a few dark passages. So at least he knew that was an option. But he still wanted to see if—

“HEY! ARE YOU TWO ALRIGHT DOWN THERE!?” It was Trevors. He must have come running when he heard the collapse.

“Yeah!” Noin called back. “Yeah, nothing broken. Luckily,” He sighed and shook his head. “Call the team, see if you guys can rig up a rope or something. There are some passages here, but I don’t want to start exploring just yet.”

“Right away, sir!” And then Trevors was gone. Noon sighed again and stretched his back before sitting on the ground.

“Well. Here we are,” he said.

“Yep. In a hole,” M’Ress agreed. “So the plan is to wait?”

“That’s the idea. If they can’t rig up a rope, they could run back to the town and grab one.”

“You really don’t want to go into those caves, huh?”

“Not particularly. Low light visibility would make it a little difficult.”

“Maybe for you, _mrrewww_. Some of us have been gifted with vision a little sharper than most.” M’Ress crossed her arms smugly as Noon chuckled.

“Of course. Night vision. Lucky for me I have you here,” he said and beamed at her. In that moment, M’Ress’s heat flared up and she put her arms down by her sides awkwardly.

“Y-yes, right. Still though, you’re right. We have no idea how deep these caves go, and we don’t need to start getting lost. I agree with your assessment, Commander.” And with that, she walked a little way away and stared intently at her feet. Noon continued to feel worried, thinking whatever was making her feel sick was still getting to her. He had to get her out of this cave and possibly off this planet. The last thing he wanted was for M’Ress to become sick with something and have no access to advanced medical equipment if her condition worsens.

But allowing that worry to consume him wouldn’t help anything. So he calmed his nerves and steadied himself for a long wait. But it only took a few more minutes before Noon heard shuffling at the top of the opening.

“I thought you said you didn’t want to be the one stuck underground, sir?” Banks called out, smugness thick in his voice.

“Obviously I changed my mind, Lieutenant. Now would you mind getting us out of here?” Noon called back.

“Yeah, hold on, we’ll come up with something.”

“Take your time. No hurry here.” And then Noon heard a noise from one of the passages. A light skittering sound. He stood up and tried to move, but his boots stayed connected to the ground a moment longer than they should have. He looked more closely at the moss that broke their fall and saw that it was a very pale green, almost white. And it was stringy. Almost like…

The skittering was getting louder. _Big_ louder.

“M’Ress? M’Ress!” he said quietly. She came out of her haze and looked at him, but then immediately went rigid, looking nervously down the passage where the noise was coming from. She could hear better than he could, see further into the darkness, and she looked much more worried than he did. “M’Ress, please come over here.” She did. Quickly.

“Sir…” she said, with caution.

“Yes, Lieutenant?”

“You’re not going like what’s coming.”

“I think I have an idea about the what. But how big are they?”

“Big. Very big.”

“You’re right, Lieutenant. I don’t like what’s coming. BANKS!”

“Yes, sir?” Banks replied with little care from above.

“I CHANGED MY MIND! THERE IS A BIG HURRY HERE! WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS CAVE!” There was some quick shuffling up above and a few shadows on the ground indicated that they were looking down there.

“What’s going on!?” Banks yelled. The skittering was only getting louder and louder. M’Ress stood close to Noon, the both of them directly underneath the hole now.

“NOTHING GOOD! IF YOU CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING IN THE NEXT FIVE SECONDS, RUN TO THE TOWN AND GET SOME ROPE!”

“On it!” Banks called out, and Noon could hear him give orders to Puck to run back to town. Now Noon could see shadows moving down the passage towards them. Shadows with a lot of legs. He pulled out his phaser and looked at M’Ress. She already had hers out and he could see it was set to kill.

“IF SOMEONE HAS A PHASER UP THERE, NOW WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME TO AIM IT IN THE DIRECTION WE’RE FACING!” Some more shuffling, someone said something about holding onto their legs, and then two phasers appeared out of the beam of light and were aimed at the tunnel.

“When should we shoot!?” It was Banks again.

“You’ll know when!” Noon called back, getting his volume under control. “M’Ress, talk to me. I just see a lot of movement, what are the numbers?”

“I can’t tell, sir,” she said, tension almost making her voice crack.

“Still too dark?”

“No. Too many to count.”

M’Ress steadied her phaser. Noon did the same, took aim, and waited.

The skittering got louder. The shadows began to take solid shape as dozens of arachnid-like creatures poured out of the tunnel and into the chamber. Noon and M’Ress began to fire, the phasers from above matching their speed. Their accuracy wasn’t as great, but it didn’t have to be. There were enough targets to hit. The arachnids scurried around the ground, each one about the size of a large dog. Each shot from a phaser managed to put the target down, but their numbers just kept growing.

The creatures weren’t completely stupid and kept their distance. A few tried to make jumps at them, but a quick phaser shot ended them before they could do any damage. Now that the two were surrounded, the phasers from up above were repositions and doing their best to create some distance. But it was a lot of ground to cover.

Noon took aim and fired again and again, but the action was getting too hectic to follow. One of the arachnids jumped from the back wall and managed to leap onto him before anyone could hit it. The thing tore at him, ripping his shirt and scratching his chest and arms. He couldn’t get control of it; the thing could overpower him if he didn’t think of something. But then a furred fist came out of the corner of his eye. M’Ress punched the arachnid in its face. The thing was discombobulated long enough for Noon to properly aim his weapon and shoot it point-blank in the thorax. It screamed as its body flew off into the cavern.

“Thanks,” he said quickly, continuing to fire into the crowd.

“My pleasure,” M’Ress said and gave off a few shots of her own.

Noon wasn’t sure how much time passed, but he knew they were running out of it. He wasn’t worried about the phasers running out of charge, but eventually the creatures would wise up and pounce them all at once. He really, REALLY did not want to get eaten by giant spiders.

“HOW’S THAT ROPE!?” he screamed.

“WORKING ON IT!” Banks screamed back. “ACTUALLY, HOLD ON, WAIT!” The phasers up above disappeared, and, in their place, a twisted rope made from vine and foliage descended into the cavern. “GRAB ON!”

“LOWER IT MORE!” M’Ress screamed back. And the rope’s descent picked up speed until it was low enough for the two of them to grab.

“M’Ress!” Noon yelled. “Keep firing!” He put his phaser away as he grabbed the vine-rope, twisting his arm it as he snaked his other arm around M’Ress’s waist and pulled her close to him. “GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” And then the two began to get pulled up.

M’Ress had been shocked when she felt Noon’s arm around her and being pulled close into his chest hadn’t been a good follow-up to help. She managed to fire off a few more times before stopping as they rose higher and higher. She tried to feel relief, but with her face pushed against Noon’s chest, she could smell his sweat, feel the muscles under his skin tighten as he held onto the rope. She wrapped her arms around him, throwing one over his shoulder and burying her face in his chest. The heat before had been manageable, but being this close to a male, a male who was saving her life and sweating and… and—her stomach did a flip as her entire body burned with a cocktail of adrenaline and desire.

She hooked her legs around his, wrapped her tail around his waist, and clung tighter to him. The heat was in full force, but she could still hold on. Getting closer to him helped feed her need while they ascended the cavern. It was one of the dumbest situations she had ever been caught in. Suffering from heat while in a life or death situation. “Embarrassment” could not even begin to describe it. She supposed “shame” came close, but she held that back and tried to stay focused on staying alive.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice as Noon did when the vine-rope began to snap and break.

“Guys, GUYS! IT’S BREAKING, HURRY!” he yelled.

“WE’RE PULLING AS FAST AS WE CAN!” Banks yelled back. “WAIT, WAIT! IT’S PUCK WITH THE TOWNSFOLK!” Only a few seconds later, a second rope lowered into the cavern. This one was thick and knotted, made from some strong material.

“SEE IF YOU CAN TIE IT AROUND THAT ONE!” Banks yelled. But Noon knew it was too late. The vine rope was about to give way. He braced himself for the dumb idea his brain just popped into his head.

He looked down at M’Ress, who had wrapped herself around him. He learned in close to her ear.

“Hold on tight.” It was a delicate whisper. And it cut through M’Ress’s mind as her claws pooped out and dug into his skin. Noon winced only for a moment before he took a few breaths, counted to himself, and let go of the vine rope milliseconds before it snapped. He hung in mid-air only for the fraction of time it took for him to latch his grip onto the other rope. The sweat on his hand made him slide off the knot he was aiming for, but his grip held on the one below it. The rate in which they were being pulled up increased immensely and they reach the top in record time, hands grabbing at them, pulling them from the hole and onto solid ground.

There was a collective sigh of relief as the tension melted from the air. Noon let the adrenaline fade from his body as he lay on the soft grass. He closed his eyes and let this world reward him with a cool breeze and warm sunlight. M’Ress still held him tightly and he looked down at where her face was buried in his chest.

“M’Ress?” he whispered. “Hey, M’Ress?” He brought his hand up and placed in on her head, letting it slide down until he could feel her cheek. Gently, he pulled her face from its hiding place and brought it up to his own. He could already feel that she was warm, but as he looked at her, he could see she was deeply flushed and panting as her unfocused eyes slowly came back to reality. “Hey, hey, hey? Are you with me?” She closed her own eyes for a moment, lowered her head a moment, and brought it back up, swallowing.

“Y-yes, Commander. I’m with you.” It was all she could manage as her head fell back onto his chest and her claws loosened, her chest rising and falling as she breathed heavily. Noon patted her on her head again and brushed her hair gently.

“Good… good girl,” he whispered.

By then, everyone else had caught their breaths and walked over to check on them.

“I knew we should have brought a doctor, but did I open my stupid mouth? No, just kept it shut,” Banks said as kneeled next to Noon and M’Ress. “How are you, sir?”

“Tired. I think I’m ready for that feast now,” he said.

“Well let’s see if—” but Banks was cut off as one of the locals pushed him out of the way and began inspecting the two on the ground. Noon assumed it was a doctor judging how it examined their bodies and inspected his pupils. The doctor, along with Banks, was able to roll M’Ress off Noon and onto the ground next to him. The doctor briefly looked over M’Ress, seeing nothing wrong, and then began to inspect Noon’s cuts more closely and gestured at one of the other locals, saying something.

“What.. what is…?” he started.

“She just… wants to check your wounds,” M’Ress said from next to him. “Wants to make sure they aren’t… aren’t too deep. Clean them.” And indeed, the doctor’s assistant brought out some sort of salve and bandaging.

“Should we check for any sort of poison?” Banks asked. The doctor shook her head and said something.

“She said…” M’Ress caught her breath, “…she said that arachnids that large and, in this area, wouldn’t have any poison glands. She’s more worried about infection.” Banks nodded and leaned back on his hands.

“Good. Great. Glad we dealt with that,” Banks said. “So… you’re going back into town, sir.” Noon shot a glance at him but winced when the doctor forced him back into position and whistled something demanding at him. Probably to hold still.

“I don’t want to hear anything about it, Commander. You’re incapacitated, I’m taking command, and I say you listen to the nice doctor who’s definitely going to take you back into town whether any of us like it or not. Isn’t that right, doc?” The doctor said something that maybe sounded like an agreement and Banks nodded. “See? Exactly. The rest of us are going to catch our breaths and see what else we can get done out here without disturbing the… residents. M’Ress, how about you?”

M’Ress had already gotten up on her knees, but she was still wobbly.

“I’m fine, _mrrrrr_. I can…” She lost her balance for a second but corrected. Banks went over to steady her.

“You’re not fine, you’re going back too,” he said forcefully. She got up slowly and pushed him away.

“No, I can… I can—” as M’Ress got to her feet, her mind fogged over as she slipped and fell over, Banks catching her.

“Hey! Hey, M’Ress!? Can we get a doctor over here!” he yelled out and the doctor rushed over as the assistant continued to apply the salve to Noon’s cuts and bandage them.

Noon could only watch helplessly as the unconscious M’Ress was gently placed on the ground and inspected by the doctor.

His fists tightened, he shut his eyes, and hoped for the best.

* * *

As dreamless sleep gave way to reality, M’Ress slowly became aware of lying in a bed. It was cool and soft. She opened her eyes and blinked them a few times, getting a sense of the room. She was in a wood-paneled hospital ward and could hear sounds of people outside the nearby open window. She turned her head to the side and saw Commander Noon sitting in a chair by her bed. His head was down. He had nodded off. She could see his arms were still bandaged, and he was wearing some of the locals’ clothes. A thought occurred to her and she slowly lifted the blanket covering and saw she was also in local garments. She let the blanket fall and rested her head back onto the pillow, taking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly.

Her memory was hazy, but M’Ress knew she had passed out shortly after escaping the cave. She threw a paw up to her face in shame. She wasn’t even hurt, but she had still found some way to make a fool out of herself. She laid her arm across her forehead and stared up at the ceiling.

“Foolish…” she whispered to herself. Noon’s head shot up as she spoke, and a relieved grin spread across his face.

“Lieutenant. Thank you for joining us,” he said and leaned forward. She looked at him and tried her best to return his feelings, but she didn’t have anything to feel happy about.

“I apologize, sir,” she said. “Making you worry was not my intent.” He rested his hand on her forearm. As his skin contacted her fur, a warmness spread through. Not the heat, it was something more genuine. Not specifically romantic either, it was just… reassuring. And it felt good.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” he said. “We’re just lucky it wasn’t whatever disease was affecting you before. The doctor said it was probably a mild heat stroke.”

“How… how did you…?”

“Understand the doctor? We used the communicator’s translator function. It was slow and difficult, but worth it to make sure I knew you were okay.” M’Ress smiled at that.

“Thank you… Commander. How… mmmm… long have I been out for?”

“Only about a day.”

“Wonderful,” she said sarcastically.

“It’s fine, M’Ress.”

“How’s the mission?”

“Still nothing, last time I heard anyway. Banks thinks there’s nothing here. He did find some crystals in the cave, but they’re not dilithium.”

“I see.” She was quiet for a moment. “How was the feast?”

“They, uhh, decided to postpone it. Don’t you worry.”

“That’s nice,” she said and rested her head back down, closing her eyes. “I think I’m just going to lay here a while. If that’s alright with you, sir.”

“You take as much time as you need, Lieutenant. I need you back at the top of your form, you hear?” he said, moving his hand down to grab her paw and squeeze it gently.

That warmth spread through her body again as she laid there, basking in the purity of his reassurance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where will you be when The Horny strikes?
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought, what you liked, what could be improved, any grammar issues you see, whatever. And I'll see you at the next chapter! Speaking of which...
> 
> NEXT TIME ON STAR TREK: THE CAITIAN'S PAW...
> 
> "Measuring Heat"
> 
> M'Ress's condition worsens as she struggles with her feelings, putting Commander Noon into an awkward situation. The triumphant beginning of the NSFW chapters!


	4. Measuring Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M'Ress's condition worsens as she struggles with her feelings, putting Commander Noon into an awkward situation. 
> 
> The triumphant beginning of the NSFW chapters! Some dialogue has been inspired by artwork that will be sourced at the conclusion.

M’Ress felt good to finally step back onboard the _Hood_. Even after only a few months, it’s started to feel like home. And it felt nice to like coming back to a place she called home. For once.

The mission had come up short. No dilithium crystals. Turned out the scanner had picked up a similar composite and the sheer amount of it came up as a false positive. Not to mention the meeting with admiralty had been for not as it turned out the Romulan threat was a hoax. Some pirates had started the rumors as a ruse, even hijacking a Romulan vessel and taking it for a joy ride in Federation space. Needless to say, no one was pleased. Especially the pirates, who were caught and handed over to the Romulans for theft of one of their military vessels.

Everyone on the ship was just relieved no one was seriously injured on the away mission. Noon’s recovery was coming along well, especially after Dr. Chen had given him a check-up. M’Ress’s heat, meanwhile, had died down to a low rumble. But it was still there. She still couldn’t believe it had been him. A _Human_ had triggered a premature heat. She expected a female to do that well before a Human. But it had happened, and she had to accept that and think about where to move on from here.

After greeting everyone and saying the customary hello’s, she excused herself to her quarters. Mostly to collect herself, but partially to get away from Simmons who had started calling her “Spider-Puncher.” Noon assured her it was a high honor, but the sheer volume of the times Simmons used the nickname was beginning to annoy her.

The Captain had given her the option to take the weekend, and even though she wasn’t initially going to, she decided to take him up on the offer. He had given the Commander the option, demanding he take as much time required for Dr. Chen to give him a clean bill of health. Noon was grumpy, but accepted it, nonetheless.

When M’Ress got back to her quarters, she changed into something more comfortable, easy to move in. Then she pulled the heat suppressants out of her drawer, sat them on the table, pulled up a chair, and took a seat. She thought about her options.

She wanted, _needed_ the Commander. The more her heat dragged on, the worse the desire would get. The suppressants would help with that… but should she deny that desire? It was a part of herself, as much as her lungs, her tail, her heart… and she felt it. She knew he wanted her too. At least… she hoped so. He was kind, but did that translate into physical attraction?

M’Ress leaned her head to one side and scratched her ear with her foot. She couldn’t think of any reason why he wouldn’t be. He clearly wasn’t repulsed by her, even complimenting her a few times.

_And then he held my paw._

She remembered the feel of it, how warm and safe she had been. She wanted to feel that again so badly. He had to feel something, just had to. Maybe he was denying it as much as she was? If that was the case, then perhaps she should be the adult and be the first one to bring it out into the light. And it had to be her choice in the matter. The suppressants didn’t do any damage to her body or hormones or anything, but they still were a denial of a part of herself. And if she was going to make this call, it would be _her_ call. The suppressants would just get in the way of that.

She picked up the suppressants and threw them in the trash. A largely symbolic gesture since she could always synthesize more, but that was beside the point. Her heat was her own to suffer through, to control, and to _unleash_ when _she_ felt like it. And now she felt like unleashing it on Commander Noon. It isn’t like he was an undesirable mate, after all. He was funny. And very attractive. For a Human, anyway. And he had even demonstrated his vigor as a male back on Titamungo. Yes, he was a desirable mate.

_Mate._

She thought about that word in regard to the Commander. It wasn’t a matter of love. Love isn’t exactly what she wanted; she wasn’t even sure if it was something she truly believed in but doing this… she chuckled to herself… _doing him_ would make them mates. As casual as the relationship would be.

But she would have control. Loyalty. That is who she was, and she would stay loyal to herself.

Then she thought about her homeworld Ferasa, her loyalty to that world. All the people she knew there, and all the things that came with it.

Ultimately, that was the deciding factor. She turned away from the trash can and didn’t look back. If she decided the Commander would be hers, _he would be hers._

She would let him fully heal, of course.

But then after… if she wanted him, she would have him. And then she purred in sheer delight.

* * *

The two day wait for Noon to heal gave her time make sure she was certain this was something she wanted. And her resolve only strengthened. She knew that her growing heat had little to do with it. If that was affecting her, her head would be swimming with emotions she couldn’t control and thoughts that demanded release. But it wasn’t. Her mind was laser-focused.

M’Ress had kept contact with him minimal during that time, just in case. So when he appeared on the bridge, resplendent in his uniform, and ready to take control of the day, she was positively giddy to see him. He made his way over to his terminal and began working. The sight of him, doing what he did best, made her purr. The sound of it carried and he looked up from his work to see where the noise was coming from. He looked over in her direction, saw that she was looking at him, and gave her a wave. She gave one in return. With her tail. Moving it in a friendly up and down motion as she rested her chin on her hand. He smiled nervously and rolled his eyes at her before getting back to work.

She decided to do the same, knowing that this was the true test of her resolve. They were still Starfleet officers, and their duty to Federation came first. If she jeopardized that, not only would he lose respect for her, she would lose respect for herself.

So she went about her duties. As they came into orbit around an unexplored M-class planet and the Captain asked for any unusual transmissions, she replied there were none. When the Commander further asked if there were any unusual radiation signatures that could double as errant transmissions, she held back the flash of heat she felt and replied that she would double check, just to make sure. And on and on the day went. Little spikes here and there, but she was in control. She was so proud of herself, she could have screamed.

And then things took a turn. Near the end of her shift, Noon approached her station.

“Lieutenant, how are those translation logs coming for the delegates next week?” he asked.

Keeping her voice neutral, M’Ress replied, “Just fine, Commander. _Mrrewwr_ … They should be ready ahead of schedule.”

“Good, good,” he said.” And, Lieutenant… we haven’t had much time to talk recently, but you are feeling better, aren’t you?” The genuine concern in his voice made her heart want to grow wings and soar, but she remained in power over her emotions.

“I’ve never felt better, Commander. _Mrrewr_ ,” she said, and gave her best winning smile.

“Glad to hear it, Lieutenant,” he said, and then he patted her on the arm and walked away. That pat was like a stick of dynamite going off under every inch of her skin. Whatever control she had felt before was gone. He had broken her resolve with only a single touch. There wasn’t even any direct contact!

 _Stupid, sexy Human!_ She though, bitterly, as the flames spread throughout her body.

It was too much, her breath was coming in heavier, she could feel her mind fogging over, her tail flicked back and forth as her seat became warmer and warmer. Then as she could feel moisture beginning to form, she decided it was too much. She got up to leave.

“Lieutenant? Where are we off to?” Dodge asked without looking up from a datapad he was reading. She stopped dead in her tracks and rubbed her knees together, keeping her voice as even as possible.

“Sir, I just need to go use the washroom,” she said.

“You need to get a better handle on your liquid consumption, Lieutenant. Potty breaks are unbecoming of Starfleet officers,” he said dryly.

“Y-yes, sir,” she responded quickly, but still didn’t move. When the Captain noticed this, he looked at her over the top of his datapad.

“Don’t let me keep you, Lieutenant.”

“Y-yes, sir. Sorry, sir,” she said and hurried off the bridge. When the turbolift doors closed, Noon turned towards the Captain.

“Did you have to pick on her, Captain?” he asked.

Dodge, once again, didn’t even look up from his datapad as he said, “No, but there’s nothing else to do around here. And besides, picking on the lieutenants is all in good fun.” Novo stopped what she doing to think about that.

“Should I take that as a possible threat of future good-natured ribbing, Captain?” she asked.

“Think of it more as a puzzle. Lieutenant,” he said. Novo considered this before returning to her work.

“Understood, Captain,” she said.

* * *

M’Ress practically stumbled through the halls, looking for something, anything to sate her appetite. Her loins were on fire and dripping, soaking her underwear. She wasn’t leaving a trail, that was good, but she had to do something. And soon. She passed by a ready room, but then double backed and stumbled inside, locking the door behind her.

She rubbed her back against the locked door, feeling her uniform begin to bunch up around her waist. She took a few steps forward and collapsed against the back of a chair and began to grind her body against that. The fur between her legs was soaked and the chair wasn’t doing the job. She quickly flipped it around and turned back towards the table, putting her legs upon it.

M’Ress pulled her uniform up, revealing her clothed nethers. Her panties were completely soaked and when she went to move them, the feeling of cotton against her sensitive slit made her shudder deeply and she gave off a satisfied mewl.

With her panties now firmly around her knees, she began to work on herself. Her body rolled with the touch of her paw against her loins, her fingers working their well-practiced magic. She had two inside herself, working them in and out as her thumb massaged her clit.

Her voice became raspy with moans and soft mewls of pleasure. She bit down on her uniform’s wide collars, silencing any errant noise. As her other hand travelled down her body, it paused to massage her breast, the pressure giving her a sense of comfort. She kneaded it gently through the fabric of her clothes, knowing that her nipples strained in her bra, hard and ready for attention.

Her mind began to wander, and she thought of a lover pleasuring her. His hands gasping her, holding her, claiming her. Pleasuring her needy genitalia and rubbing her breasts with tender care. Then this formless lover became a few of her past conquests before cementing as Commander Noon. The uniform she was chewing on slipped from her mouth and she moaned in ecstasy. She could almost feel his body against hers, his hands taking her as his, moving down her furred form, caressing her every nook and cranny.

M’Ress slipped lower into the chair as her passion increased. Her fingers worked faster inside of herself. In her mind, Noon was in her, taking her from behind. Pumping in and out, slamming his hips into hers, threatening to break her into pieces. He claimed her with his Human cock, dominated her every fiber as she writhed under his power.

Then she imagined him leaning forward and biting down on her neck, holding her in place as he emptied all that he was into her. That was enough.

She came. Biting down on her lip to stifle the scream that would have had half the ship in a panic. She could feel herself squirting over her hands and onto the table. She writhed as she rode out her orgasm, almost falling out of the chair, but managing to hold on. As she settled down into the chair, her ears ringing and breath ragged, she pulled her fingers from herself and looked at them.

They were dripping with her essence, the fur completely soaked through. She brought them to her lips and sucked them until they were wet with saliva. She loved the taste of herself, especially so fresh after an orgasm. She mewled and moaned as she cleaned them off, slowly popping them out of her mouth. One, and then the other.

She performed a damage assessment of her surroundings. She had kept her hands on herself so the chair had survived, but the claws on her feet had scraped the table. Also there was the matter of her cum that had sprayed outward, almost making it to the other side of the room. That may be a new personal best distance for distance for her, she mused.

She sighed in satisfaction, having sated her lust for the time being. It hadn’t gone completely, her body still demanded true release from a proper mating, but this was enough to keep her line.

M’Ress stood and considered pulling up her panties before deciding instead to remove them. She didn’t feel like going the rest of her shift, having her to sit on wet clothes. Smoothing out her uniform, M’Ress brought herself up to her full height and rolled her shoulders. She felt good again.

She pulled a personal sanitation cloth out of a strategically designed pocket in her uniform and did her best to clean off the table. The claw marks she couldn’t go anything about and merely hoped no one paid them any serious attention. Figuring she looked as good as she was ever going to, she stepped out into the hall and made her way to the closest disposal station. She threw away her tarnished underwear and the cloth, knowing they would be swiftly destroyed and recycled by the ship’s automatic recycling system.

M’Ress then glanced up and down the hall. Completely abandoned. No one had seen her, and no one had noticed her. Or, at least if they did, they didn’t stick around. Satisfied with the outcome, M’Ress nodded her head and smiled to herself.

“Magnificent,” she whispered to herself. She turned on her heel and strutted back towards the bridge.

* * *

When M’Ress came back onto the bridge, Noon glanced in her direction. She seemed… ruffled somewhat, but other than, she had this strange confidence in her walk. And it was quite the walk. She almost glided over to her station, her eyes briefly meeting his before she turned away. He had seen the corner of a smile on her lips. There was even a fragrance wafting over from where she walked, it held the briefest hint of intoxication. Not only that, but her hips were swaying, her tail moving from side to side in a hypnotic rhythm. Her features more defined in that moment than he had ever seen them before. Before he could stop himself, he was staring at the firm sway of her butt. As she sat down, he shook his head and got back to work.

 _Those are some dangerous thoughts_ , Atticus, he told himself. He had decided to not chase after crew members, to stay focused on his work. And especially not after the Lieutenant. He valued her friendship more than anyone else onboard the _Hood_. Making a pass or mistaking friendly non-serious flirting as a pass could damage that. Still, he had to wonder if it was all done in jest. M’Ress was certainly flirtatious, especially in the moments when the crew had engaged in drinking. But he had never felt singled out by her. And he knows they had shared some tender moments together, but that was just their friendship shining through. It didn’t mean anything. He cared for her and wanted her to know that. That was all.

 _…But was it?_ he thought.

He shook his head and focused on his monitor. Either way, that wasn’t going to help him get through these reports. He would deal with his rogue thoughts later. Much later.

* * *

As her shift ended, M’Ress’s heart leapt with joy and she hopped to her feet.

He had noticed her! She knew he had noticed her! His dumbfounded expression as she walked onto the bridge said it all. And she could feel his eyes on her ass as she walked over to her station.

She had readied herself for him and he had noticed her. Maybe he didn’t know what she had done, maybe he wasn’t even aware of what he was feeling, but his instincts were in the same playing field as hers. She just had to scooch them into position.

M’Ress practically skipped over to the turbolift where Noon stood waiting. She got in and spun to face the outward door.

“Commander,” she said, plainly, but still failing to hide the enthusiasm in her voice as the turbolift doors shut.

“You seem eager, Lieutenant. Big plans for your off-hours?” he asked.

“You could say that. _Mrowwwrrrrr_ ,” she purred and winked at him while whipping her tail around, enticingly. He either didn’t notice, or chose not to acknowledge the wink, so she changed the subject. “How are your wounds? All better, I hope?”

“They were all better a day ago, but that damn doctor still kept me off active duty. Playing it safe,” he scoffed. “But I suppose he does know best.”

“Good. You saved my life, and I’d hate for my hero to be permanently damaged,” she said, adding an extra layer of purr to her voice.

“You were the one punching spiders in the head. All I did was lift us out of a hole. If anything, you were my hero.”

“I suppose I am,” she said. “So… what will be my hero’s reward?” She leaned forward and clasped her arms behind her back, pushing out her chest and batting her eyelashes.

“Uhh…” Noon flustered at her forwardness and coughed nervously. “I’m sure I’ll think of something worthy of you, Lieutenant.”

“ _Mrewr?_ Keeping me in suspense. I like that,” she said and straightened up. As they stayed silent for a moment, she continuously fanned her tail towards him, hoping that the scent from her bare nethers would reach his nose. If it did, he didn’t show it, but she kept up the act regardless.

As the turbolift came to a stop, M’Ress hopped out and swished her tail right in front of Noon’s face as if it were a jingling bell.

“Until we meet again, Commander,” she called out as she rushed down the hall. Noon, meanwhile, was utterly perplexed as he watched her rear-end shake from side to side, swaying along with the movement of her tail.

This was probably trouble, he decided. And then the turbolift doors shut.

* * *

Noon had just enough time to change into more casual wear and clear his mind before heading down to the mess hall and making sure he got his favorite seat. His thoughts were racing faster than usual, especially after the encounter with the Lieutenant in the turbolift. That intoxicating aroma he caught a whiff of before was so much stronger in that enclosed space. Whatever perfume M’Ress was wearing, it was definitely working for her. As he wondered what exactly that fragrance could be, a doorway further down the hall opened and the sight that walked from it made Noon’s breath stop short.

It was Lieutenant M’Ress, out of uniform and wearing a tight-fitting jet-black dress. It completely exposed her upper torso, revealing a generous amount of furred cleavage as the straps hung loosely around her upper arms. The hem of the dress came up to mid-thigh, her legs practically on full display, and her tail hanging playfully behind her. She was a vision of dangerous class and ravishing beauty. Noon had seen a couple of sights in his time at Starfleet that he could call “breath-taking.” This? This was on the list.

She turned her head and saw him, a toothy grin spreading wildly across her face.

“Commander! There you are,” she said, and waved at him by twiddling her fingers. Noon gave her a nervous wave of his own hand and did his best to maintain eye contact as she approached him.

“Lieutenant, you seem… lovely this evening. Do you have a date or something?” it was an innocent enough question, but for some reason Noon felt a twinge of jealously at the mere thought of someone else enjoying her company.

“No, nothing like that,” she said, and a splash of confused relief washed over Noon, “I just felt like feeling lovely this evening. _Mreewwwrrrrrr_ …” That last purr was far more tantalizing than they usually were, and the way her eyes were silently sizing him up made Noon feel like a piece of meat. Truly her flirtation game was on point this evening.

“Well, you’ve certainly got a handle on it,” he said, trying to stay calm.

“ _Mrewwrr_ … good to hear,” she replied. “Do you have a hot date tonight?” She cocked an eyebrow and kept staring at him with those eyes, eyes that were quickly turning his knees to jelly.

“What? N-no, no, just… just uhh… with whatever meal I decide on at the mess hall. Are you heading down there?”

“No, I don’t think so. I just had a quick bite to eat, now I think I’m going down to the observation room on Deck 9. There’s never anyone on Deck 9 at this time, so it’s the best place for some… privacy. I thought I’d do a little light reading.” And then from behind her back, M’Ress produced a small paperback book and dangled it in front of herself. How did he not notice what she was holding? He then corrected himself, realizing how could he POSSIBLY notice what she was holding with how she was dressed.

“Really? How… lovely. Uhh, what, uhh… what’s it about?”

“Tell you what, Commander. After you’re done eating, why don’t you join me, and I’ll tell you all about it. Does that sound pleasing to you?” Her eyes lidden over and she pushed her chest out just a little bit further. This felt like it could be a breach of Starfleet regulations. Noon swallowed hard.

“Y-yes, that would… please me immensely?” he tried, coughing nervously. “Should I… bring a book as well?”

She shrugged.

“If you want. We could make it an… _interspecies exchange program_.”

Noon gulped.

“Cultural?” he asked.

“Of course~” she purred.

“That sounds… enlightening, Lieutenant.” She grinned at him and hopped to her full height.

“Good!” she exclaimed. “I’ll see you then.” She brushed past him, but before she could get more than four feet away, her book slipped from her paw and fell onto the floor. She shook her head and gave herself a ‘tsk, tsk, tsk.’

“Clumsy,” she whispered before bending over to grab it. Her dress rode up all the way to her hips.

The Lieutenant had neglected to put on underwear this evening.

As she stretched down, more and more of the curvature of her rump was revealed to Noon. Her tail held firmly straight down the middle, keeping the meeting point of her cheeks hidden. At least it did, before it swished out of way and she was on full display. Noon physically had to wrench his gaze away from the sight, deciding to focus on the ceiling and gave a nervous cough. She turned and grinned at him. She licked her chops at his embarrassment and snatched her book from the ground, pulling herself back to her full height.

“Lieutenant, you should… consider being more careful in that attire,” Noon said when he could see she was covered again out of her peripheral vision. She giggled and held her paw to her mouth, stifling any more laughter.

“And where would be the fun in that… Commander,” she purred. “I’ll see you later, sir,” and then she lightly ran her paw down his arm. Making contact with him caused her to purr more deeply and Noon could swear he saw the beginnings of a blush form as she turned. He became mesmerized by the gentle swing of her hips as she walked away from him.

Just then, another door opened and Vedra walked into the hall a short way in front of M’Ress, looking at a datapad. When she looked up and caught sight of the Lieutenant, she let out a low whistle and nodded in approval as M’Ress walked past her, waving briefly. Vedra’s eyes followed the Caitian as she sauntered down the hall and turned down another corridor. She looked the other way and saw Noon standing there, lacking any semblance of words. She tsk’ed at the Commander as she walked past him.

“You’re in trouble, sir,” she said, in a kind of sing-song smugness. He snapped out of his daze and looked incredulously at her as she continued to walk past him.

“Why am _I_ in trouble!?” he yelled at her.

Vedra barked out a laugh.

“Goodness, I love how stupid men are,” she said, practically howling with laughter as she got onto a turbolift.

Noon was left feeling confused, excited, embarrassed, humiliated, and hungry. He threw his arms out to the empty hall and screamed to the heavens.

“WHAT JUST HAPPENED!”

* * *

Throughout his meal, Noon had himself convinced he was NOT going to the observation room on Deck 9. Whatever game the Lieutenant was playing, he wanted no part in! That display went well beyond what was acceptable for Starfleet officers and it went beyond what he was comfortable getting involved with.

But as he cleared his plate and made his way out into the hall, he found himself slowly making his way towards Deck 9. Despite whatever that was, she was still his friend. And he knew how playful she liked to act. When he got there, he was sure she would be wearing something decent and laughing at him, remarking at ‘the look at his face,’ and the two would share a laugh.

Yes. That had to be it. Yes. Because the alternative made his stomach churn with a desire he wasn’t entirely sure he was comfortable having for the Lieutenant.

He had to clear his mind, focus on where he was going. Where was he going? He looked and saw that he had somehow made it all the way to Deck 9 and was approaching the observation room. As his feet mechanically moved for him, he suddenly got the intense urge to bolt in the other direction. That would be best. Yes. He needed to leave the situation at once. Another yes. But his feet kept on moving until he stood in front of the observation room door.

He didn’t know what else to do. Knock? Just open the door? Call from the other side? Noon’s brain couldn’t decide on anything, let alone how to precede. As he stood there thinking, a noise came in from the other side of the door. It was low and muffled, but he was sure it was…

Moaning?

Noon brought his hand up and pressed the button, the door opening silently. He looked inside and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, he caught sight of something that made his stomach do several flips.

Lieutenant M’Ress was bent over a table on the far side of the room, facing away from the door, her dress hiked up well above her hips, her rear on full display as her tail flagged high above her. Muscular and toned, her entire lower body shook with pleasure. Her paws gripped the sides of the table as she rubbed herself against its corner. Noon could see moisture dripping from between her legs as she moaned deeply and forced herself closer onto the corner.

She removed one of her paws from the edge and ran it through her hair, holding in there and she released a breathy mewl into the air. The starlight from the window illuminated her like some sort of ancient Pagan fertility goddess.

“Ooohhh, yes…” she whispered, following it up with more moans and gasps. Noon almost slipped upon hearing that, but what she said next almost made him bolt from the room.

“Yes, Commander… please! _Mrrrrrrrr_ … harder!” she cried out. He nearly had a heart attack as he briefly thought she had noticed him, but she remained focused on what she was doing. Her tail whipped back and forth as she continued to cry out for the Commander to pleasure her more deeply… harder… faster. Noon could feel his heart hammering in his chest, sweat dripped into his eyes.

Her hand latched back onto the table as she gave a harder series of thrusts against the corner, practically screaming.

“TAKE ME, HUMAN! PLEASE! _MRWWWUURR_ …! F-FUCK ME, COMMANDER!”

It was at this point Noon’s nerve failed him and flipped around in the doorway, planting himself against the wall in the hallway and slamming his fist on the door close button. His breath came in ragged bursts and he steadied himself against wall. When he thought he heard shuffling on the other side of the door, he bolted down the hall, tripped, got back to his feet, and ran full-pelt.

Had she noticed him? Did she want him to notice? That was an EXTREMELY private moment, but she had asked him to join her! And the fact that she called out to him while doing it… more thoughts like that invaded his mind as Noon collapsed into a turbolift and fled to his quarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's the first drip of NSFW content. Never really thought of myself as much of a smut writer, but hopefully that got you to where you're going. 
> 
> Anyway, some dialogue during the hallway scene was inspired by this piece from PlaugueOfGripes:
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/gannadene/art/Mress-s-Interspecies-Exchange-680044269
> 
> Hopefully he doesn't mind. 
> 
> That concludes this chapter of The Caitian's Paw! Next time: 
> 
> "A QUIET UNIVERSE"
> 
> Noon struggles with his complicated feelings for M'Ress, but a confrontation between them will begin to uncomplicate his feelings quickly.


	5. A Quiet Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noon struggles with his complicated feelings for M'Ress, but a confrontation between them will begin to uncomplicate his feelings quickly.

Noon did not sleep well that night. He was frustrated with himself, with the Lieutenant… the whole situation was maddening.

She desired him. He heard it from her own lips. But did he truly want her in return? When this voyage started, he thought he did not want any romantic entanglement… but he had not counted on the Lieutenant’s raw animalistic presence.

He tried to keep his mind focused as she walked onto the bridge the next morning. When he looked at her, he no longer saw his clever, somewhat flirtatious friend. He saw a sexual being. Her twitching legs, the drip of her loins, her flicking tail, her breathy moans screaming his name into the night…

She glanced in his direction and smiled wickedly.

“Good morning, Commander,” she purred. “I missed you last night.” Noon forced his eyes away.

“I apologize, Lieutenant. Something… came up.”

“Oh, I should hope so,” she said smoothly, sitting down.

Today did not seem like it was going to get any easier. While Noon was circling the drain of sexual madness, M’Ress was on cloud nine. She hadn’t noticed him when she was in the observation room, but she did notice the effect her dress had on him and that was more than enough to fuel her apatite. Soon though, she had to take it to the next step. Fits of masturbation and titillation just wouldn’t do the trick. She needed a taste.

Operations went smoothly enough. They had a tense stand-off with a Klingon warbird near the Neutral Zone, but the situation was defused when it turned out the captain of that vessel suffered from a rare disease that Dr. Chen had previous experience dealing with. It was due to M’Ress’s translation and negotiating skills that the Klingons even considered allowing a Human doctor onboard their vessel, but once the deed was done everyone parted ways with a little less bad blood between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

For Noon, being able to monitor the crew on a mission, seeing M’Ress in her element… it felt normal. It helped bring some balance to his own life. M’Ress deserved better than to be thought of as a piece of meat, despite what she may desire herself. Atticus Noon was raised better than that.

He knew, at the very least, a part of her desired him. And he was fond of her.

No.

No, that was not fair to either of them. It was more than fondness. She was clever, strong-willed, wasn’t afraid to show a vulnerable side, and very beautiful. For a Caitian, anyway. And even though she clearly wasn’t afraid to be cruel (if the dress situation was any indicator), he knew she had a good heart. And that was all he needed to know about anyone to make a connection.

Although… he was her superior officer. There hadn’t been any rules against fraternization since the early days of the Federation, but it was still something frowned upon when engaged between two officers of differing rank. But, thinking on it more, that wasn’t really something that bothered him. Maybe it should, but it did not feel like an actual roadblock.

What did feel like a roadblock was his indecision. He wasn’t bothered by breaking fraternization, but it could easily damage a career. And even if there was a strong physical attraction between them, pulling the trigger on that could ruin what they already have.

No, despite how he may feel, and how she feels, he had to be strong for the both of them. He had to sit her down and create the boundaries he should have when they first started working together.

His mind drifted back to that night in the park. The way her eyes shone in the dark of night, her confidence, and joy… He swallowed his emotions and bottled them down.

It may hurt now, but it was for the best. Noon turned and walked over to M’Ress’s station. His shift was ending in a few minutes, so he felt no problem in bringing up a personal matter.

“Lieutenant?” he asked, steeling his voice. She turned away from her work momentarily and looked at him, her eyes glowing with humble innocence.

“Yes, Commander?” she spoke softly, professionally. Not even a hint of her flirtatious side. Perhaps today’s events had helped give her some distance as well.

“Lieutenant, I’d like to speak with you later,” he said. “Regarding a personal matter we should discuss.”

“Why, certainly, sir,” she said, and smiled that wicked smile of hers. “I’d love to. Where would you like to speak?”

“I’m going to change in my quarters first, but then we should probably meet somewhere private.”

“Like… an observation room?” she suggested.

“NO! …No,” he said, lowering the volume in his voice. “I’ll meet you on the Third Deck commissary when my shift ends.”

“Alright, Commander. I’ll see you then,” she said with a crooked smile and turned back to her work.

“Good. Good,” Noon said, confidently. He tugged his shirt down, gave a quick nod, and walked over to his station. Simple enough. But that was only the easy part. The hard part would come soon enough.

* * *

The walk to his quarters was one of the longest Noon had ever taken. It wasn’t easy, having to steel yourself to break someone’s heart. But it had to be done. He knew it was the right thing to do. At least… he hoped it was. He entered his quarters, losing his resolve bit by bit. He removed his various devices and took a seat by the table, putting his face in his hands and letting out a heavy sigh. He laid his hands flat and was momentarily lost in thought before he noticed his bedroom door was opened. Noon always made sure to close all his doors before he left his quarters. He liked it, doing so felt like a stronger reset coming back after a long shift.

He slowly got up from the table and grabbed his phaser from where he had placed it on the counter. It was possible a Klingon had snuck aboard and was now waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Noon tip-toed slowly to the doorway, readying the phaser as he went. Setting it to stun, he edged by the frame and turned to peek inside.

Sprawled across his bed was Lieutenant M’Ress. Half of her body lay across it horizontally as her upper half dangled off the side, her hair sweeping down to the floor. Her tail wagged lazily above her as she stretched out comfortably, allowing her uniform to ride up slightly and reveal a glimpse of her panties. Upon seeing her Commander, M’Ress’s eyes brightened and she mewled happily.

“Hello, Commander,” she said in a husky purr. “You’re not going to shoot me, are you?” Noon, flabbergasted, allowed the weapon in his hand to drop to the ground.

“Lieutenant? What... the hell are you doing?” he asked, with even less resolve now than what he had just moments ago.

“A situation arose, and I had to be sure you were kept informed… _mrrrroww_ …” she said, folding a dangling arm behind her head as her tail continued to wag above her.

“What situation?”

“Sir, sensors indicate that _heat levels_ are dangerously high.”

“The room’s temperature feels fine, Lieutenant.”

“I wasn’t talking about the room~” And with that, she planted her hands firmly on the ground and flipped herself off the bed, executing a perfect roll to her feet. And then she began to slowly step towards her commanding officer.

“Th-the ship, then?” he responded, realizing now that he was flat against the wall next to the door.

“No, sir. I speak of _my_ heat levels… _mrowrrrrrr_...” Her eyes glimmered in the dark as she inched herself closer and closer.

“Y-your heat levels?”

“Yes, sir. I haven’t been honest with you, again. My people, we go through a heat cycle. You know what that means, yes?” Noon did. And all the pieces began to click into place.

“That certainly makes sense of a lot of what’s been going on with you, Lieutenant. But… I thought they had something to deal with that.”

“They do. But I got rid of it.”

“Why!?”

“Because I decided I wasn’t going to deny myself the pleasure of your company. If I so desired it. And I do, _mroewwwrrrrrr_ …” by this point, she was now dangerously close to the Commander, almost face-to-face with him.

“You see, I’ve been a _very_ good girl. I’ve kept my paws to myself. But now, I deserve a reward.”

She got up close to him, and placed her paws on his chest, leaning in closer and nuzzling herself under his chin.

“And all good girls deserve a reward… don’t they, Commander?” She purred deeply as she rubbed his chest.

Noon’s brain sparked out of control when she made contact with him and it threatened to fry further with every passing second. Calming his swirling head, he attempted to push her away.

“Lieutenant, th-this is HIGHLY inappropriate conduct.” She pushed back against him and made her body flush against his.

“Sir, you sound like a Vulcan.”

“At least that means one of us is being logical.”

“ _Mrowrrrr_ … who needs logic when you can have… this?” On her last word, M’Ress’s paw glided down Noon’s body and gently massaged his groin.

Noon nearly jumped out of his skin as his hand shot down and grabbed her wrist.

“M’RESS! ENOUGH!” he exclaimed. She looked up from her nuzzling and met his eyes. Their faces were so close together, he could feel her breath on his skin, he could see the deep blush beneath the thin fur on her face. But she also looked… sad. Her beautiful eyes started to glass over.

“You’re… you’re not in your right mind.” He said that far more gently as his grip on her wrist eased.

“I’m thinking more clearly than I have in years,” she responded and brought up her other paw to caress his cheek. He brought up his hand to cover hers, intending to pull it away… but instead he gripped it and basked in its warmth.

“How… how can I be sure,” he said, his eyelids becoming heavy. He leaned in, her smell drawing him closer.

“You can be sure of this,” she said and closed her eyes, leaning up and meeting his mouth with hers.

The universe went quiet as the two shared a kiss. It started out light, but deepened for a moment, and then held. Noon thought that kissing a Caitian wasn’t that bad. It tickled.

M’Ress pulled back slowly, breaking the contact, but quickly planting another smaller kiss on his mouth before again pulling back enough to look him in the eyes. He met her gaze. Any doubt, any reservations, any plans that he had to deny this moment faded away as he stared into those beautiful golden orbs.

He moved his hand off her paw to the back of her head and brought her forward, kissing her harder this time, opening his mouth and deepening the contact. She met his assault with her own, forcing her tongue to meet his, massaging it gently, but with a commanding presence. Noon did his best to wrestle control from her, but her tongue was slightly rougher than his. Not unpleasantly so, but it gave her an edge in the fight. It was clear whatever spines the Caitians had to clean themselves in ancient times of pre-history were slowly becoming less prevalent in their race. Which was good, if her tongue did have true sandpaper texture, this fight would’ve been easily lost.

With his attention diverted elsewhere, M’Ress once again began to massage his groin through his pants. He broke their kiss, a saliva trail quickly disappearing between their mouths as he stiffened to her touch.

“M’Ress,” he breathed, holding her tightly. “We really shouldn’t…” he tried to call up any sense he had left, but her touch was too much to fight against.

“I know,” she whispered back. “But I need you… I need this…” and then she slipped her hand into his pants and grabbed him directly. Noon moaned at the contact, pulling his hands away from her to plant them against his face. She giggled softly and continued to stroke him. “I think you need this too.”

Noon could not find the words to even begin to argue with that as he grew harder under the feel of her paw. So instead he moaned again and said, “Holy shit.”

M’Ress giggled again.

“If you like this, then you’re going to love how I make it better,” she said. Noon looked at her briefly, to try to gauge her intent from her stare, but that wasn’t necessary as she lowered herself to her knees. She undid Noon’s pants and tugged them around his knees, releasing his shaft as it bobbed up then back down into place.

“Oh…” she mused. “So that’s what a Human penis looks like…” she examined it slowly, taking in every detail. Noon chuckled.

“What, do Caitian men’s look different?” he asked, feeling at a loss from the current lack of contact.

“Oh yes,” she insisted. “Caitians are a deep red and covered in spines… on them, you can only ever really work the tip… you could never be able to do something like this—” and then her paw was on him again as she lifted his shaft and gave a long loving lick to the underside, from the base all the way to his tip. Sparks of pleasure erupted under his skin as M’Ress finished her lick and began to slide her tongue up and down his length.

“So smooth,” she moaned, giving it another long lick. “Oh, I love your Human cock…” She began to nuzzle her face against it. “I can suck it, you know.” She teased him further, kissing the tip, the side of his rod, and then briefly his balls before returning to giving it a gentle nuzzling.

“I’ve never done it before, but I can give it my best try. All you have to do is tell me to suck your Human cock.”

Noon was losing all sense of reality as he felt her fur and her tongue on him. He would have said anything to make it continue, so he tried his best.

“Su-suck… suck it…” he pleaded.

“Noooo…” she teased. “I want you to use my exact words. Say it… and I’ll worship it like it deserves… _mrowr_ … say it like the Commander you are…” Noon, under the circumstances, gave a fairly solid attempt at rolling his eyes before steadying his voice again.

“Suck… suck my Human cock already, you goddamn Caitian bitcha-haahaaa…” and even though his words were crude and meant to be laced with authority, he broke out into laughter as he said them. He was doing his best to play along, but he was still unable to keep a straight face. M’Ress, likewise, snickered with laughter.

“A Caitian bitch, am I? How rude! But… since you did ask nicely…” And she dove onto his rod, bringing him into her mouth and sucking him down. She began to move her head back and forth on him, working her tongue on him as his cock moved in and out of her wet maw.

Noon was lost in a sea of bliss as he watched her work him over. If this was her first time doing this, then by all the stars in the sky was she a natural. He brought his hand up to the back of her head. Not to add any extra force, she didn’t need help in that department, but just to steady her, create a stronger connection between them. She looked up to meet his eyes and popped his cock out of her mouth, licking it over before putting it back in and repeating the process.

‘Worship’ was a good word for what she was doing.

_She worshiped his cock._

Even though she controlled every aspect of his pleasure in this moment, he still felt powerful from her care and attention. As the seconds ticked by, he was losing more and more control. His orgasm was fast approaching, and he couldn’t hold it any longer.

“M’Ress…” he pleaded,” M’Ress, I’m going… going to—”

“Do it,” she commanded. “Don’t hold back.” And then she dove back onto him, working him even faster than before. She even brought up her tail to tickle his sack, urging his balls to release their payload.

Noon broke and began to release into her mouth. As she felt his orgasm coming on, she brought his cock as deep into her mouth as she could, bumping her nose against his waist as she swallowed his entire shaft deep into her throat.

M’Ress drank down every drop. She slowly began to pull his shaft out of her throat and allowed it to drain into her mouth. She tasted him on her tongue and found it wonderful. As he finished, she slipped him away from her. Their eyes met as she opened her mouth to show off the cum she had collected. She breathed heavily as drops began to slip off her tongue. But then she closed her mouth again and gave a strong gulp to pull it down. She opened her mouth again to him, showing off what a great job she had done swallowing his seed.

Noon patted her head and scratched behind her ear. She leaned into the affection and mewled softly.

“Good girl,” he managed to whisper. “Damn… damn good girl…”

She giggled and licked her lips clean of any stray drops of his cum. “Thank you, Commander.”

Noon lost all strength to his legs and slid down the wall, landing on his naked rear. She rested her head on his lap and purred loudly, basking in his affection as he continued to scratch and rub her ears. They stayed like that for a few minutes, Noon lazily rewarding her for a job well done, M’Ress’s tail slowly waving back and forth in contentment. It was a beautiful time to be alive.

Noon’s mind began to stir, and he finally came enough to his senses to ask a reasonable question.

“Now… now what?”

“Now I go back to my quarters,” she responded, stirring as well. She got to her knees and stretched long and tall, pushing out her bust almost directly in Noon’s face. His shaft attempted a twitch at the sight, but the guy was still well and truly spent.

“A-are you sure?” he tried. “I mean I could—” M’Ress cut him off.

“No, this was enough,” she said and got to her feet. “Like I said, I’m in control of my urges. And this is me demonstrating my control. Now: do I want to pull down my underwear, sit on your face, and drown you in an ocean of my pleasure? Of course. But that’s not what this was about.” Noon raised himself onto his elbows and then began to lean against the wall, trying to get his footing.

“Then what the hell was this about?” he asked. She grinned at him and lowered herself down, placing her paws on her knees, and looking at him dead in the face.

“Showing you how good it could feel,” she said while licking her chops temptingly. “And now… what’s the Human expression? …The ball is in _your_ court. _Commander_.” She ran a paw over his face and winked at him. She stood up and waved her tail in a farewell motion as she strutted out of his quarters.

Noon struggled to his feet and tried to pull his pants up, failing, and resigning himself to lean against the wall to catch his breath.

“Vedra was right,” he mumbled to no one in particular. “I’m in A LOT of trouble.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know I never really thought about how a bare ass would feel on a Federation ship floor until I wrote about it here. 
> 
> Anyway, this chapter was inspired by this wonderful little piece of art by PlagueOfGripes!
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/gannadene/art/M-ress-Red-Alert-628146561
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> "FIRE"
> 
> Basically... this:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izGwDsrQ1eQ
> 
> And thank you all for continuing to read and humoring me! I think I'm doing okay at this smut stuff. And it's only going to intensify from here.


	6. Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fire between M'Ress and Noon erupts.

M’Ress felt positively ecstatic the next day on her way to the bridge. She had done it. She had brought the male into line, enticing him, dominating him, making him feel in control, and showing her value in the process. It was a little unfortunate that he showed so little drive, but she knew he had it in him. And her taunt would do its trick and push him towards being the male she knew he was.

After pleasuring him last night, she had gone back to her quarters, stripped naked, hopped in the shower, and pleasured herself for an hour and a half. She was so close to giving in completely, to taking him right then and there, but she had resisted. It had hurt to fight against her heat that hard, but she was proud of herself. She had resisted, and now she knew he would strike back. He had to because if he didn’t, she might just die from the constant strain on her loins she now felt.

The heat had increased to the point where she now felt hot all the time. She fantasized about the Commander constantly, even the slightest touch could set her off. But she could be strong. It wouldn’t be that difficult. He was Human, but he was still a male. He would give in.

_He has to. Please let him give in._

In the meantime, she had resolved to completely ignore him. And her first opportunity arrived as she caught sight of him entering the turbolift to the bridge. Catching sight of her in return, the Commander seemed to seize up and become incredibly interested in the turbolift’s ceiling. She got in next to him and didn’t say anything.

“Lieutenant M’Ress,” he said with a knowing kind of ignorance.

“Good morning, Commander,” she replied, keeping her gaze straight ahead.

“Look,” he began, “About what happened last night…”

“What do you mean? Nothing of consequence happened last night,” she said flatly. His jaw fell open.

“Excuse you!?” he exclaimed. “Something very consequential DID occur last night and we need to discuss it, Lieutenant!”

“Anything worth mentioning was mentioned last night,” she said matter-of-factly. “Unless you’re ordering me to discuss what may or may not have occurred last night in an _official_ capacity.” Noon stuck his finger out at her in frustration.

“Don’t think I won’t!” he threatened. “I’m still your commanding officer, _Lieutenant_ , and I will do everything in my power to make sure you still understand that! What we did was… _unique_ , but I will not tolerate blatant disrespect from my subordinates! I don’t know where this attitude of yours is coming from, but if you think that just because you jumped my bones that it gives you the authority to walk all over me then you have another thing—”

M’Ress dropped her datapad and violently twisted the turbolift’s controls to stop. She turned to face Noon and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, her paws tangling in his hair as she smashed her mouth against his. Noon was only surprised for a moment before he melted into the moment, grabbing two fistfuls of her ass and slamming her against the turbolift wall. Their furious kissing lasted for minutes before they broke apart. Noon rested his forehead against hers as his breaths came in ragged gasps.

“What… kind of game… are you playing with me, Lieutenant?” he demanded softly.

“I thought… I thought I could wait for you, but it’s just too hard. I thought I was stronger than this, but I need you so bad… I should never have left last night, I should have… I should have…” and with that she had to fight back tears as she gripped his back tightly. “I’m sorry, this is so wrong. _Everything_ is so wrong...” M’Ress struggled to find the words to make this right.

“Hey, hey. Shh-shh-shhhhh… nothing is wrong,” Noon assured her.

“I’ve been drunk off my own heat for days now! Don’t tell me nothing is wrong! OH, GODS!”

“What?”

“I molested my superior officer in his quarters last night! What is wrong with me!?” She threw her head back against the wall and banged it once for good measure.

“Hey, let’s not even go there. Okay? You… certainly _surprised_ me and I tried my best to keep a level head, but what you did was not _entirely_ unwelcome.” She looked at him, eyes glassy and full of sorrow.

“Yeah?” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he whispered back. “I’ve tried to hold back, to tell myself excuse after excuse, but I just… I just…”

He leaned forward and took her into another kiss, grinding himself against her as he did so. Their contact didn’t last long before he pulled away, leaving her a flushed, drooling mess. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, collecting her thoughts before she spoke.

“So, what… what is this?” she asked. Noon didn’t immediately respond, thinking the question over in his head.

“Well, for the immediate future, I’m going to help you get through this heat since there’s no other way to deal with it.”

“But… but I can always synthesize more—”

“Lieutenant. _There is no other way to deal with it_. Am I clear?” his gaze was stern and made her stomach quiver.

“S-sir, yes, sir,” she said, a smile forming across her face. The promise making her ache for him even more.

“Good,” he whispered and kissed her again. “Now. We have to get to work. I can’t help you until the end of the day. Can you make it until then?” She scoffed at him.

“Is that a challenge?” she asked.

“Do you want it to be a challenge?”

“Yes! Please, _yes_.” Her grin took its old wicked shape as she cleared away her eyes.

“Then it’s a challenge, Lieutenant. I’m… I’m, uhh… going to put you down now.” She giggled and pushed back her messy hair.

“Hmf… Thank you, sir,” she said as he lowered her enough to find her feet and straighten herself out. He took her face in his hands and brushed out her hair, moving it just right and even fixing the shape of her fur. She rested her paws on his hands, leaned up on her toes, and the two shared another kiss. They pulled back, paused to get one last look, and separated from one another. Uniforms were smoothed out and composure found as Noon engaged the turbolift again and M’Ress picked up her datapad.

“Just you be a good rule-abiding officer for today, and later tonight, you’ll get properly rewarded,” Noon said.

“Oh you’ll see just how _good_ I can be, sir,” M’Ress said.

“That’s what I like to hear.”

The doors opened onto the bridge and the two made their way to their respective stations without saying another word. No one seemed to notice a thing. Noon was grateful for that as he took his place at his station. Today would be long for both of them. She certainly had the tougher fight, but there was now a fire awakened in his belly. And he would feed the flames.

* * *

At least he thought he would. But as the day dragged on, Noon’s confidence began to slip somewhat. And the problem was her. M’Ress and all the things that made her an invaluable officer, an exceptional friend… and a wonderful lover. He wouldn’t back down. He made a promise and he had to stick to that. But was he prepared to go through with it? No, he supposed he couldn’t prepare himself for her in any meaningful way. No matter what he tried to come at her with, he was certain she’d find some way to surprise him. He supposed that was one of the reasons why he cared for her so much.

Noon smiled ruefully to himself as the day ended and he began to wrap up his duties. The nervous excitement of the coming evening kept his stomach in knots. He spared a glance towards M’Ress and saw that she was as she had been that whole day: professional, diligent, exceptional, stunning, wicked beautiful—his shook his head and walked to the turbolift.

He didn’t need to wait for her. She’d know where to find him.

Noon didn’t bother going to the rec room, instead opting to go straight to his quarters. The food synthesizers on board the _Hood_ had been upgraded beyond the old tapes and cells system to voice commands, so he needn’t bother with anything like that. A stiff drink is what he needed, and his own personal synthesizer would get the job done.

He walked into his room and stripped off his security belt, tossing it away, not really caring if it landed on anything. Miraculously, it had landed on the back on a chair. Patting himself on the back for the inexplicable luck would have come next, but he figured he’d let the stiff drink do it for him. He ordered a glass of his favorite cocktail and walked away for a moment, before turning around and ordering a glass of M’Ress’s favorite cocktail as well. He placed both glass on the table, one in front of himself, and the other on the far side. Noon took his seat and waited, staring at the door in anticipation.

He found he had already emptied his glass only after a few minutes, so he got up and got another before sitting in the exact same position as before.

Time was surely a deadly adversary in more ways than anyone could expect. What felt like eons was only a half hour before he heard a ring at his door.

“Come,” he called, wincing at his wording. He braced himself for however she may react. The heat could have taken her senses in the time it took for her to get to here, she could pounce right through that door and attack him like a wild animal. His whole body tensed as the doors slid open.

“Heeeeeyyyy, buuuuuuddy,” said Simmons, in his best jovial tone. “Must’ve missed ya down in the rec room. What’re you doing here in the dark?”

“Simmons!” Noon breathed out, the tension slipping away from his body. “It’s you.”

“Yeah?” he responded carelessly, “What, you expecting some other company?” Then Simmons saw the second glass on the table and shot Noon a glance. “… _Are_ you expecting some other company?”

“Simmons, you need to leave, I would rather just… be alone right now,” Noon said, attempting to cover.

“Oh, I don’t think you would. But I imagine I’m a lot less pretty than the company you were hoping for. But everyone that pretty is so much lower rank than you are, there, Mr. Regulations.”

“Simmons, please,” Noon begged. M’Ress might be here any minute, Simmons had to leave now.

“I don’t know about that, Commander. As an enforcement officer on board a Starfleet vessel, I believe it’s my duty to make sure all rules and regulations are followed to the letter. And that includes fraternization between a commanding officer their subordinates.”

“Simmons…” Noon was losing his patience.

“But I could overlook this one minor infraction. If! …You tell me who it is.”

“Simmons.” This time Noon’s tone was flatter, clearly indicating answering that was out of the question.

“Come ooooooon! I’d tell you who it was if I was breaking fraternization conduct! Now is it that mousy engineer who was eyeballing you the other day, or maybe it’s the nurse who gave you that hypo? I thought you were being a little too friendly, or, is it…” then Simmons’s smile cracked wide as he rested his head on his hands and batted his eyes. “…Is it Spider-Puncher?”

“Simmons, GO. NOW.”

“It is, isn’t it!? Oh, how delicious! _Still though_ , ey, buddy?”

“Simmons, you better hope it isn’t her, because if she gets here and sees you, her instincts regarding all _creepy crawlies_ will kick in and you’ll be next.”

“Alright, alright!” he said, standing and putting his hands up in defeat. “Besides, far be it for me to deny my friend a delightful evening with our even more delightful communications officer. But I want those details!” He pointed viciously at Noon as he walked towards the door.

“I’m not telling you a single rotten thing, you pirate!”

“Oh, I’m gonna get those details!”

“You’ll get _nothing_ and like it!”

“Yeah, we’ll see. You have fun now,” And Simmons opened the door.

…Only to almost walk face-first into M’Ress who was standing on the other side.

“Simmons!” she said, shocked.

“Spider-Puncher!” he said, turning around dramatically and directing a thumb at M’Ress. “Look, Commander, Lieutenant Spider-Puncher is here to see you! How surprising! Isn’t that surprising!”

If Noon had a phaser handy, he would have shot Simmons dead with no regrets.

“Oh, but don’t you worry, Spider-Puncher. I was just on my way out. The Commander is… _all yours_.” Simmons gave a theatrically low bow and sidestepped around her into the hall. “I can only imagine it will be an enlightening conversation about some very important—”

“SIMMONS!” Noon shouted at him.

“Leaving!” he said and waved, walking away with a spring in his step and a whistle on his lips.

M’Ress came the rest of the way in and shut the door. She turned around to face the Commander, utterly mortified.

“That was one of the most horrible experiences of my life,” she said.

“Don’t worry.” Noon said. “I already made you a drink.”

“Did you? How gentlemanly.” She walked over and took a seat, throwing back her glass and downing it in a single gulp. “Do we need to worry about… That?” She nodded towards the door.

“No, you know Simmons. All business _on_ duty, all play _off_ duty. But even then, he still wouldn’t say anything. He trusts my judgment.”

“Sounds like a good friend,” she mused.

“I have a lot of those around here,” he said and smiled at her.

“Friends?” she asked. “I think I’m owed a little more than that, Commander… _mreewweerrr_ …” She began to circle a finger around the rim of her empty glass as her half-lidded eyes sized him up like a predator stalking prey.

“I suppose so,” he agreed, keeping his cool. “So what are we then?”

“Mates,” she replied, simply. Noon cocked an eyebrow at that.

“From how I understand that word, it sounds rather serious,” he said, troubled by the sudden increase in the speed of their relationship.

“It’s not,” she assured him. “We’d be _casual_ mates, obviously.”

“Is it so obvious?”

“Isn’t it? I don’t expect you to shed blood at the Ritual of Celadon and lay claim to my everlasting female virtue.”

“That’s a thing?”

“But,” she continued, ignoring him, “I do expect you to take me tonight. As hard and as completely as you can muster. For a Human. Hence: _casual_ mates.” She winked and licked her lips, enticing him.

“Of course,” he chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”

“ _Mrowrrrr_ … perfect.” She said, standing up and strutting over towards his bedroom. “Then let there be no delay.” Noon sat there only for a moment before he downed his drink, stood up, and followed her.

He stood in the doorway, watching her walk over to the bed. His eyes were transfixed on her swishing tail. She turned around and fell backwards onto his bed. She scooted up, pulling up her uniform as she did so, revealing her clothed nethers to him. He walked over, bolstered by her presence, and stripped off his shirt as he approached the bed.

“Ready to participate in our interspecies exchange program?” she asked him, throwing an arm behind her head and bending out her legs, to further present herself to him. Noon let out a light laugh.

“Cultural?” he inquired.

“No… _RRRRrrrrrrr_ …” That was all he needed to hear. Noon removed his undershirt, kicked off his boots, and climbed on the bed.

He joined her, laying atop her and kissing her softly. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, kissing him back just as hard and pushing up her hips to meet his.

Feeling his member get harder through the fabric of his pants increased the agony of her loins. She whimpered and mewled into his mouth, wanting more of him, wanting the last barriers of restraint to be removed.

“What’s the matter,” he whispered between kisses, gently nibbling her ear, “tired of the foreplay, already?” She gripped his back tight and gave her hips a hard thrust upward.

“Aren’t you?” she whispered back, nuzzling the side of his head and licking him affectionately.

“Well now I am,” he chuckled. “Let’s get rid of these…” And with that, he backed up a bit and hooked his fingers around the straps of her panties, dragging them down her leg. The last few inches were a little awkward, but he managed to strip them off and tossed them aside.

“Get rid of it all,” she groaned, and sat up to start removing her uniform. Noon held her arms still with one of his hands. With the other, he cupped her chin and brought her mouth to his.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered as they broke contact. “Lift up your arms.” She did so, raising them above her head. Noon grabbed the hem of her uniform and dragged it up her body, slowly, tantalizingly slowly. Every square inch of cream-colored fur being revealed as he pulled it free. As it passed her mouth, but before revealing her eyes, he stopped to kiss her again, enjoying the hold over her.

“Stop teasing me,” she pleaded between pecks.

“Stop being so fun to tease,” he said, but still pulled the uniform free, throwing it aside. Now all that kept her from being completely naked was her jet-black bra. Noon reached behind her to undo the strap, but she waved away his hands.

“Hold on, I want to do this part. Give me something to work with,” she demanded. Noon put up his hands and smiled.

“Alright, alright, pretty kitty. Work your magic.” She gave him a crooked smile as she reached behind herself smoothly, unhooking her bra slowly. As it snapped free, she brought her paws forward to keep it cupped against her chest. She allowed the straps to slide down her arms and fall loose before removing it and swinging it over Noon’s head, pulling him atop her and into another kiss.

“Now who’s teasing who?” he said, his hands moving down her sides, tickling her thighs.

“I couldn’t resist,” she giggled and tossed the bra away. With that, Noon got back up on his knees and took in the sight of her. When he had seen her in the observation lounge, he had thought of her starlit body like that of a goddess. Now that comparison returned again as she stretched out underneath him.

M’Ress’s silky fur shone in all its glory, the lean muscle underneath giving hints of power to the delicateness of her curves. As she held her arms above her head, her breasts moved to the stretch of her body and the slow rhythm of her breath. Her knees rubbed together as the heat from her loins made her wetter under his scrutiny. She groaned in need as she writhed in unfulfilled pleasure, panting hard in desperate need of contact.

“ _Mrrrrwww_ … please, Commander,” she pleaded. “Take me… like one of your Human women.” Noon chuckled softly at her choice of words.

“Oh? Not like a _Caitian_ woman? What would I have to do to take you like a _Caitian_ woman?”

“A Caitian male would have already flipped me over by now, rutting me into the bed, holding me down like his property,” she said, now visibly drooling.

“Tempting,” Noon said, nodding his head at the suggestion. “But maybe I _should_ show you how we treat our women on Earth…” He brought up her leg and kissed her knee, trailing a line of kisses down her thigh, towards the meeting point between her legs. “…At least, how we treat the _good_ women…” and with that he planted a kiss on her flower, making her gasp and arch her back off the bed. He gave her a few more tentative licks before diving in and working every inch of her drooling quim.

M’Ress continued to gasp and moan as he worked her over, sucking on her clit before drawing his tongue in and out of her, tasting every inch of her nethers.

“Ooohhhhh… _mrrrfffff_ …” she bit her lip, holding back a scream, and brought her paws down to the back of his head, pushing his mouth further into her. That only made his resolve grow and he doubled his efforts, swirling his tongue around her.

“Ahhh-huh! AHHHH!” she was practically shouting now. Her claws popped and Noon could feel them start to dig into head. Figuring he should end it now before his scalp starts bleeding, he decided on an atypical finishing move. It was a little risky, but he decided to gamble it anyway.

Brining his hands around where he was holding onto her thighs, he gripped her ass and pulled her up further towards him. He kneaded her rear end, slowly working his fingers towards the crack in the middle.

“What…” she breathed, “what are you…?” But her words were stolen from her as he found her back hole and pushed his middle finger inside her as he gave her clit a final, loving swirl of his tongue.

That did the trick.

Her eyes bugged out and her hands jumped from his head and to her mouth, stifling her screaming as an orgasm washed over her. Noon drank the cum that squirted from her body. As least as much as he could. A good deal of it dripped down his chin and the wracking of M’Ress’s orgasming body also left his forehead and eyes completely soaked.

As her body began to calm, legs still twitching in sweet release, Noon pulled away to lick his lips and push back his hair. He ran a hand over his face to collect the moisture and look over his work. She was a beautiful mess. Drool dripped off her tongue as it lolled out of her mouth, grinning wide, and blushing wildly. Her hair was in a tangle and her limbs jutted out at odd angles, her tail still twitching in bliss.

“That,” she managed after a few moment, “Could have ended very badly for you.”

“Could have,” he agreed. “But didn’t.”

“I didn’t think the _good_ women on your planet liked _that_. _I_ didn’t even know _I_ liked that.”

“Sometimes you have to take a… heh… shot in the dark,” he said and rubbed his neck.

“Oh, shut up and kiss me,” she said, reaching for him. He obliged her need and came to rest atop her body again, her arms wrapping around his head and bringing their foreheads together.

“I need you to do something for me,” he said.

“ _Mmmmmmm_ … and what’s that?” she asked. He brought his still-dripping fingers up to her mouth.

“Clean these for me?” She giggled and took his hand in her paws.

“Look at how messy I made you! It would be my pleasure,” she purred and began to lick and suck his fingers clean. The sweet combination of her own juices and his sweat began to ignite her body again. The heat came back in full as she finished her work, continuing to lick at his fingers as she brought his hand flush to her cheek and looked at him with her golden predator-like eyes.

“I need you inside me,” she whispered as she nuzzled against his palm.

“As you wish,” he whispered in turn, using his other hand to undo the clasp on his pants, and pull them down his thighs, making sure his underwear went with them. He kicked them off awkwardly, not wanting to move from his vantage point he had next to her. His pants soon joined the rest of their clothes on the floor. Now the two were finally naked with one another, all barriers removed between them. With no restrictions left, Noon somehow grew harder at the sight of her ravished beauty. He smiled kindly at her and brought her into kiss, leaning her down in the process. She flowed with him, resting her back against the bed and bringing up her arms to rest on his shoulders.

Their sweat-soaked bodies became flush as he began to rub his cock against her opening, using her juice to lubricate himself. She bit her flip and whimpered in desperate need.

“Please…” she begged.

“Tell me what you want,” he whispered in her ear. “What do you desire, Caitian?” He gave a light jab at her entrance.

“Your cock! Fuck me, please! Fuck me, Commander!”

“Right away, Lieutenant,” he said, and slid inside her in a single, quick, powerful thrust.

M’Ress’s claws popped and she mewled in ecstasy at the feel of him finally inside her. She dragged her claws down his back, drawing blood. He winced at the pain, but held inside her as she convulsed underneath him, arching her back into him. Then he became amused as he felt his groin became wet with another of her orgasms.

“Did you cum? Just from entering you?”

“I didn’t…” she moaned between words, trying to form concrete thoughts, “I didn’t… expect it to… feel like _that_. I know you don’t… have spines on yours, but it… it…”

“Wait, do the spines hurt you?” he asked, somewhat concerned.

“The pain can be pleasurable,” she assured him. “But _that_ , what you just did… was _all_ _pleasure_ and it was… surprising.”

“About time I got to surprise you for once,” he chuckled. “Still, I need you to do something for me.”

“Whassat?” she breathed.

“Grab onto the headboard. I’d prefer you not make me bleed any more than I have to.”

“S-sorry,” she apologized, removing her hands from his back and gripping the backboard of the bed tightly. “But, you know, if you had flipped me over like a Caitian male, you wouldn’t have to suffer my love scratches,” she purred.

“Yeah, well, I promised you I’d take you like a human woman. And _this_ …” he said, rocking his hips into hers, bringing a gasp from her mouth, “…is more Earth’s speed.”

“B-but I could forget and hurt you…” she whimpered as his rocking increased.

“I’ll take that risk,” he said and leaned down to kiss her as he began to thrust properly into her. She moaned into his mouth as he began to fuck her in earnest. Her claws popped almost immediately, and she left deep grooves in the artificial material of the headboard.

Not wanting to feel passive in this, M’Ress began to thrust upward with her own hips, meeting him thrust for thrust.

“Holy hell,” he breathed, breaking contact with her mouth. “You’re so damn tight…”

“ _Mrrroowww_ … You like the way I feel, human?”

“Yes… fuck! Yes…”

“Good. Because it’s all… YOURS!” she yelled out as he gave her an extra hard thrust, pushing her body up a good few inches. She scrambled one of her paws off the headboard and tried to grab him around the shoulders. His hand shot up and slammed her wrist back into place. His other hands coming up to grab her other paw as well.

“Now, what did I just tell you about that?” he said, slamming his hips further into hers.

“I’m sorry!” she whimpered, biting her lip and then crying out. “I need to hold you!” Her legs came up and hooked around his hips. The warmth of her leg fur made it feel like he was covered in a small blanket. But her paws were still a problem as they twisted around, looking for something to hold on to. He slid his grip from her wrists and entangled his fingers with hers, holding the backs of her paws flush against the headboard. She claws still dug into his hands, but he fought through the sting and continued to plow into her hips.

“You’re a damn animal,” he breathed, meeting her gaze, seeing how that wicked smile spread across her face again.

“I know,” she moaned, beginning to lose herself in the waves of their love-making. “And I need you to fill me… every drop… inside me…” she pleaded. Noon, in dreamy state, briefly realized that he had neglected to use any protection. But that’s as far as his concern went as the grip of her legs tightened and he had to work harder to pull out and humped back into her.

Sweat dripped from his body and onto hers as their passion increased. Some of that sweat also included tiny droplets of blood from the scratches on his back. The bed shook with every thrust and counter-thrust. It strained with the effort to hold together as the two lovers became positively bestial. Noon groaned and growled as she mewled and gasped. Their non-verbal language becoming all they needed to communicate for minutes on end.

A hard push into her caused M’Ress to experience another orgasm, but Noon continued to work through it, continued to claim her writhing body with thrust after thrust, doing his best to hold her from twisting out from his grip.

The added squirm in her body had begun to set his own orgasm into effect as he leaned down close to her ear.

“M’Ress…” he whispered. He tried to fight against the grip her legs had on him.

“Commander… please…” she pleaded, tightening her grip, pulling him close.

He knew what she meant. Knew what that desperation in her voice called for.

_Cum inside me. Fill me with your seed._

He looked deep into those pools of brilliant golden light.

_“Breed me,”_ she pleaded.

He slammed one final time and held inside her, groaning as he exploded within her.

As the warmth began to spread out into her womb, she came again, breaking from his grasp, latching onto his back and biting down hard on the crook of his neck. He yelled out in pain but continued to hold on as he came inside her, meeting her demand, and filling her with everything he could give.

Spurt after spurt of his cum painted her insides, marking her as his. But she gave back to him in kind, the deep wounds on his back and neck signifying he was her male. She released her bite on him, licking away his sweat and blood as her head fell back onto the soft bed.

The lovers breathed heavily as their combined orgasms began to die down and settle into a steady series of pants and whimpers. As Noon felt the last twitch of cum leave his body, he tried to pull out, but M’Ress held him tighter.

“No,” she commanded. “Stay.” And so he did. He brought a hand up to her face and began to kiss and nuzzle her. Feeling it was appropriate, he began to lick her as well, tasting the sweat of her body. She purred contently as her Human lover washed her in affection. It ended as he choked on a hair, coughing it up as she laughed.

“Amusing,” she said.

“Thought you would like that,” Noon said.

Exhausted, he managed to tilt over to the side as M’Ress held on to his hips with her legs, the two now laying side by side. Her tail came up and rested across his body, her paws slowly gliding up and down his back.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Her legs finally giving way and entangling with his.

“Yeah, sure,” he said. “That’s why I’m here.” They both shared a quick chuckle and M’Ress look at him seriously.

“Turn onto your stomach,” she said.

“Why?” he asked.

“Just do it,” she demanded, finally pulling him from her and far away enough for him to rest completely on his stomach. M’Ress then crawled atop him and began to lick the wounds she had inflicted upon his back.

“You really don’t have to do that,” he said, but gave no effort to stop her.

“Yes,” she insisted between loving licks. “I do.”

“Well… let me know when you’re done.”

“Mmmmm…” she said as she continued her work. After a couple of minutes, she stopped licking and started to nuzzle and kiss his back.

“Hey,” he said, finally collecting his thoughts.

“Mmm-yes?” she responded between kisses.

“I came inside you.”

“I know, Commander. I was there.”

“No, but that… that’s probably going to do something, yeah?”

“I’m on birth control, so probably not.”

“But… then what was all that about… filling you and the pleading and the—OW!” she playfully bit the skin on his back, silencing him.

“Am I not allowed to get lost in the moment and pretend?” she asked, and began to kiss him again, giving special care to the spot she had just bit. “I got rid of my heat suppressants, but I obviously kept my birth control. I’m not about to let someone impregnate me. Especially a silly human like you.”

“Ah. Well. Fair enough.”

“Are you disappointed?” she asked, faux-sympathy in her voice. “Did you want my belly to grow heavy with your half-breed human child?”

“No, no. I was just curious,” he said. “I wouldn’t even know what a half-Caitian/half-human child would look like,” he admitted. A brief image of an unspeakable monstrosity flittered across his mind before he shook that nightmare free of his thoughts.

“I’m not sure either,” M’Ress admitted. “Though I had a friend in school whose cousin was half-Vulcan.”

“Really? What did she look like?”

“ _He_ looked Caitian, except his ears were sharper. They had more of a defined point to them. And his eyes were green.”

“Green?”

“Like his Vulcan father’s,” she said. “He was very handsome as well.” She had begun to listlessly drag her soft fingers up and down his back as her tail wagged lazily.

“Oh, really? Did he also have the emotional range of a clay brick?” Noon asked.

“I’m going to tell Novo you said that. And, no, he was actually very passionate. And sometimes he acted like he could read your thoughts.”

“Spooky.”

“At any rate,” she continued, ignoring the comment, “I’m sorry I made you think you were _actually_ breeding me. That was very wrong of me, Commander.”

“Think nothing of it, Lieutenant. It was an… interesting experience.”

“Like I said: casual mates. Nothing to get all _permanent_ about it.”

“That’s not really something you’re looking for?” he asked. She then laid the side of her head on his back and stared off into the middle distance.

“No,” she said, and stopped there. Her tone was flat, but also sad. In a way. Noon let it go and allowed the silence to continue for a few minutes. After he thought enough time had passed, he began to stir.

“Here, move your head for a second,” he said. She lifted off him but was quickly brought back down again as he pulled his arm over her and brought her into a spooning position. “There. Much better.” He breathed in the scent of her hair and exhaled slowly. 

“ _Rrrrwwwwww_ … Is this how Humans like to cuddle?” she asked, enjoying the feel of his breath on her neck.

“Generally, I’d say so. But there is a great deal of variation. I know it isn’t as _fancy_ as just laying atop each other, but it works for us.”

“I can see the appeal,” she purred.

His hand began to travel up and down her thigh, caressing it, before bringing it up to her side and across her stomach. As his hand ran across the smooth fur of her stomach, she shivered, and a moan escaped her. Noon looked perplexed at her. He then tentatively rubbed his hand across her stomach again. She shivered again an gave off an even louder moan.

“That feels good,” she said.

“Yeah?” he said, smiling devilishly and slowly rubbing her stomach up and down. M’Ress began to twitch and squirm. She reached a paw up to over his hand, moving along with his as it travelled across her vulnerable tummy.

“Yeah,” she moaned helplessly.

“You still want more?” he asked, beginning to add little scratches here and there.

“Yes,” she pleaded, gripping his hand tighter and pulling her knees together. “Don’t stop.”

He nibbled her ear as he kept a steady rhythm on her flat stomach, gently stroking the soft fur with care and affection.

“Oh, _fuuuck_ ,” she breathed. “That feels _sooooooo_ good…”

“You’ve never had someone give you belly rubs before?”

“What part of ‘flip me over and…’ _hah… yes, right there…_ ‘rut me into the ground’ didn’t you understand?”

“What a shame,” he said, mournfully, still keeping up the assault. “You have a weak spot that has gone unexploited your whole life.”

He tickled his fingers around her naval before working the digits closer to her groin and back up again. His hand travelled up to her breast, massaging it briefly and returning to the delicate tufts of stomach fur. She panted and whimpered, her claws threatening to pop again, but she held them in as her pleasure built.

Seeing her slowly become a twitching mess started to get Noon hard again. His member slowly gained size until it was grinding against her ass.

“You want something a little bigger than a finger in there, kitty cat?” he asked, prodding at her back door.

“N-no!” she said quickly, gripping his hand in defiance. “I’d rather have you in me properly again…”

“Oh? So you want me to try my best to _breed_ you again, huh?” He guided his shaft between her thighs and managed to slide it across her slit. She giggled and ground her thighs against him.

“Would you?” she asked.

“I’m going to need some help getting in there,” he whispered. His hand was busy pleasuring her stomach while his head rested on the other.

“O-okay,” she said, and moved her paw down to feel for him. Grasping his shaft, she guided him into her and when he felt the smooth texture of her walls again, he gave a solid thrust to connect them again. Her paw pulled away to grab at the one playing with her stomach. While his hand worked that area, he began slowly push in and out of her, careful not to pull out too far.

“Oh, Commander…” she said while biting her lip, stifling a series of moans.

“What is it, Kitten?” he said in her ear. “You like it when I fuck you while I rub your little tummy?”

“Yes!” she yelped when he scratched right between her belly button and her groin.

“You want me to cum inside you again?”

“Y-yesssss…”

“Alright, but I need you to cum first, Kitten. Can you do that for me?” He increased the speed of his belly rubs. “Can you do that for your Commander?”

“Ooohhhh, _mmmeerrrffff!”_ She squirmed hard against him, trying to bring herself to orgasm. “I-I’m trying, Commander! I’m trying!”

“Poor Kitten,” he said. “Here, let me help you…” And with that, he moved onto his back and pulled her atop him. It was tricky making sure he stayed inside her, but he managed to get her laying on top of him and continued his thrusting into her, balancing her legs atop his, making sure he was going in at the optimal angle. Her arms reached around, pulled his head closer to hers. His face rubbed against hers affectionately.

“Look at me,” he said. She turned her head in time for him to capture her mouth in a kiss.

Their tongues wrestled, both his hands played across her belly, and his shaft worked its way in and out of her. With this constant onslaught of pleasure, M’Ress didn’t last much longer and an orgasm ripped through her body. Their kiss broke and she moaned out.

“YYYESSSSSSSSSS…” she cried out. “Yes, Commander, yessssss…”

“That’s a good girl, Lieutenant,” he whispered in her ear.

“Are you gonna cum inside me now?” she asked, expectantly.

“Sure, I—” but then he lost control of the rhythm and his cock slid free of her vagina. “Crap.”

M’Ress giggled at him. “It’s okay, Commander. Here, let me…”

“What are you doin—” his question was cut short as M’Ress brought up her tail and wrapped it around his cock, stroking him. “Holy shit…” Was all he could muster.

“What is it, human?” she teased. “You like it when I rub you off with my naughty tail?”

“Yes!” he yelped when she slid her furred tip over the top of his cock.

“Do you want to cum on me?” She gently tilted his cock to point at her body. “Would you like to paint me with your cum?”

“Y-yesssss…” he moaned.

“Then do it,” she said and blew gently on his ear. He groaned and started erupting on her. Spray after spray covered the soft fur of her belly.

“There’s a good human…” she cooed. He continued to cum as she held onto him with her tail. Soon he ran out of steam and relaxed onto the bed. M’Ress, meanwhile, reached down and picked up some of his cum on her fingers. She brought them to her mouth and sampled his taste.

“Mmmmmmm…” she moaned and licked her lips. “Scrumptious.” She wiped up another thick stand off her stained stomach and held it to his mouth. Here: try some.”

“Uhh…” Noon wasn’t so sure he wanted to.

“You made me taste myself…” she pouted. “It’s only fair.”

Noon still looked cautiously at the substance. M’Ress rolled her eyes.

“Or, don’t. I’d hate to do something worse and far more shocking like, oh I don’t know, shoving a finger up your ass when you least expect it?” Noon sighed in resignation and grabbed her paw.

“Alright, fuck it…” he said and stuck her fingers in his mouth.

“There you go! What a trooper,” she purred as he cleaned her fingers.

“Hmm. Salty. You know, not every guy would do that,” he said once he finished.

“Not every girl would let you cum on their stomach,” she said.

“Good point,” he said, and patted her thighs affectionately.

“Can we Human Cuddle again?” she asked.

“What, is…” he did a quick count in his head while he shifted her over back into a spooning position, “… _five_ times your limit, you lightweight?”

“Actually, it was technically _six_. I… rubbed myself off on the way here,” she admitted.

“So _that’s_ why you were late.”

“But what about you, Commander? Twice is all you can muster?”

“ _All I can muster?_ I’m practically a god for managing a _second_ time that quickly.”

“Oh, are you? Humans must have a looser definition of the word _god_ then.”

“Kitten, I will go grab me some orange juice and ride you until I’m spraying dust, if that’s what you really want.”

“No, _mrrrowrrr_ … I’m good right here thanks,” and she patted his forearm. “Discovering a new fetish is a huge point in your favor though.”

“That so? Still can’t believe no one’s ever rubbed your belly before.”

“Why is that so hard to believe?”

“I dunno. Seems like, given your people’s similarity to… uhh… never mind.” He stopped there.

“You mean that because we’re like Earth animals, that means of course we’d love giving each other belly rubs, is that it?”

“No, no, no! I didn’t… I’m not saying… the Caitian people have a long and noble history of non-catlike, uhh… behavior, and—”

“Just stop,” she said, giggling at him. “It’s fine. To be honest, the cat thing was annoying for our people at first, but after studying Earth felines, it became clear that the resemblance _was_ uncanny. Evolution is funny like that.”

“Suppose it is,” Noon agreed.

“But if you try to fool me with a laser pointer, I’ll scratch your eyes out.”

“Noted.”

“You can keep calling me ‘Kitten’ though. I like that.”

“Didn’t know if you’d actually approve of that one either.”

“You have good instincts, Commander.”

“Nah, I think I just know my crew a little better than they know themselves.”

“Mmmmm…” Exhaustion was beginning to overtake her. “Hey, Commander? What are we going to do about this tomorrow?”

“Eeehhh… we’ll worry about that tomorrow.”

“Mmmmm… okay. I like that plan.”

“Me too,” he agreed. “Hey… M’Ress?”

“Mmm?”

“Thank you for this.”

“Mmm-hmmm. Silly, foolish human…” she mused, half-asleep.

“Yeah-huh. Whatever you say, Kitten.”

And with that, Noon kissed the top of her head and rested his own beside her. His eyes slowly shut, holding M’Ress close as the two drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go. The main event, as promised! Hopefully it didn't disappoint. 
> 
> A scene in this fic was inspired by this piece of art:
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/gannadene/art/Mress-s-Interspecies-Exchange-680044269
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> "Tomorrow is Today"
> 
> In the aftermath of their night together, M'Ress and Noon face the next morning.


	7. Tomorrow is Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of their night together, M'Ress and Noon face the next morning.

The first thing Noon noticed upon gaining consciousness the next morning was that it felt like a long furry sock was stuck to his face. He felt for it, sensing it had more weight than that and realized it was a long furry _arm_. He picked it up and glanced over next to him.

M’Ress was laid out spread eagle across the bed. One arm and one leg were thrown across Noon’s body, while her other foot and arm dangled off the edge on the opposite side, and her tail hung lazily off the foot of the bed. She was snoring contently and drooling. The sheets were an absolute mess, tangled around them both, but mostly around her.

Noon looked at the nearby personal clock. It was still two and a half hours before he needed to be on the bridge. He sighed and dropped her arm back onto his face. He was content to lie there for a while longer.

A good half hour passed before M’Ress began to stir, her snoring breaking and her limbs stretching out further. Her eyes cracked open as she smacked her lips and glanced around her surroundings. Catching sight of her bed fellow, she twisted her body around, over the sheets and hugged his side.

“ _Mmmmrrrewww_ … good morning, Commander,” she said while nuzzling his arm.

“Good morning, Lieutenant,” he responded, lifting his arm away so he could wrap it around her and pull her close, allowing her to nuzzle into his chest. “Did you sleep well?”

“I slept _wonderfully_ ,” she responded, and brought her arm up to caress his chest. “It feels good going to sleep satisfied for once and waking up refreshed.”

“Well, I’m glad,” Noon said and patted her rump. Noticing her tail, he began to stroke it with his fingertips. “My best Lieutenant deserves the best treatment.”

“I’m your best Lieutenant now?” she said, her tail starting to wag a little with happiness.

“I think you have to be. After last night.”

“Simmons will be heartbroken.”

“Won’t be the first time,” he said, his hand now gently caressing her rear.

“Mmmm… feeling frisky, already?”

“No, just passing the time.”

“Really? How unfortunate, because….” She reached down and began to stroke his member. “…I am. _Mrrroowwrrr_ …”

“You are insatiable, Lieutenant.”

“I know. Now brace yourself, I want to try something.” She then stopped stroking him in order to sit up and swing a leg over his torso. She straddled him, her velvet folds rubbing against his ever-hardening rod.

“You know…” he winced through the pleasure, “For someone who claims to have only suffered through one sexual position her whole life, you sure are WELL aware of the others.”

“Of course I am,” she purred giving his cock a nice long slide across her lips. “How else am I supposed to get variety if not through the power of my imagination?”

“Yeah, well…” Noon said bringing his hands up to grip her ass before resting them on her hips. “You don’t have to imagine any more.”

“Are you sure?” she teased. “I was having so much fun pretending you were a green-eyed Caitian last night that I—AAAHHH!” Noon brought down his hand and spanked her hard. M’Ress felt the sting and her lower lips drooled more from the sheer shock of the intimate attack.

“Is that any way to speak to your commanding officer, Lieutenant?” he asked.

“N-no, sir,” she said, struggling through feeling pain mixed with pleasure.

“That’s what I thought. Now, lift yourself up a little…”

She did, and Noon positioned her right above his tip, bringing her down hard, spearing her around him. She moaned out, glad for him to be inside her once again.

“Good Kitten. Now ride.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” M’Ress said. She licked her lips and began to thrust up and down atop his cock. He kneaded her ass while she provided most of the force, offering a little extra support each time she came down on him.

“Oh, yes!” she squealed out. “Gods, yes!”

Noon took in the sight of her: back arched, breasts pushed forward, her claws raking his chest as she bounced atop him, panting, drooling, and grinning madly while using his cock to pleasure herself. This is a sight everyone should wake up to.

He pushed up and leaned forward, latching onto a nipple with his mouth, sucking affectionately. Her paw gripped his hair and held him close.

“What, is the Commander thirsty?” she said. “I’m afraid you won’t get anything out of there.” Noon let go and kissed it before kissing the other and taking in a big whiff of her soft chest fluff.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll get a drink out of you later,” he promised and began to increase his upward thrusts, sending her into another wave of shuddering fits.

“Who says… I’ll… Let YOU!” she said between thrusts and gasps of pleasure.

“No one. I’ll just TAKE IT.” He said this while nipping at her collarbone. She moaned and wrapped her hands around his head, binging him into a deep kiss. When their tongues separated, she gave him a wicked grin and pushed him down flat on his back with surprising force.

“Lieutenant… you’ve been holding out on me,” Noon said.

“I’ve found it makes males feel better, making them think they’re in control~” she whispered into his ear as she leaned up and began to ride him in force again. “Other females of my species like to keep themselves dainty and small so they can appeal to the egos of males.”

“How foolish…” Noon managed to struggle out as she continued to use the powerful lean muscle of her athletic body to keep him right where she wanted him.

“I like to keep myself strong and sharp… So I can feel _powerful_ whenever I wish it. Now, shush… I need to cum before you do…”

“If you insist,” he said and began to work to meet her hips with his own, the muffled wet slapping of their bodies reverberating around the room.

“I’m close,” she groaned out. “I’m so close…” Noon smile at her and brought his hand up to her clit, lightly rubbing his thumb over it. She actually let out a loud “ME-YOWWW!!” as the extra push of pleasure set her off.

“Go on, Kitten. There’s a good Kitten…” Noon cooed while continuing to rub her privates. She convulsed atop him, cumming wilding and soaking his lap. She arched way back and stayed there, breathing heavily, the rise and fall of her breasts transfixing Noon’s gaze.

“Now, then…”

With surprising speed, Noon grabbed M’Ress’s hips and slammed her down on him. She wheezed and sputtered, whipping her head down and landing on his chest. She gripped his shoulders as he continued to pull her up and back down on his cock. His hands slipped over her ass cheeks, pulling them apart and back together. He even brought up one hand to stroke her tail for a brief moment before returning attention to her rear.

With a final groan, he smashed her against his thighs and held her there, filling her with spurt after spurt of his cum.

“Mmmmm… so warm…” she cooed, nuzzling against him chin. He eventually came to a stop and relaxed his grip, patting her gently and kissing the top of her head.

“There’s a good girl,” he whispered in her ear.

She looked up to kiss him back but saw the damage she had done to his chest.

“Oh no…” she said in a hushed tone. “Look what I’ve done…”

“It’s alright, I’m getting used to—aaaahhhh…” he lost track of his thoughts as she began to lick his wounds again.

“I’m… so… sorry… Commander…” she said between licks and kisses. “I swear I don’t… mean to… hurt you…”

“As long as you promise to keep doing what you’re doing, I’ll be just fine,” he assured her, allowing her to bathe his sore chest in affection.

“But you won’t be! I don’t want to be another monster, drawing your blood!” she said sternly before doubling down on her care.

“It’s okay. The way you draw my blood is much preferable to any cave-dwelling abomination.”

“I know that, but I just…” she gave one last tender lick and laid her head down on his chest. “…I just hate seeing you hurt.”

“Kitten…” he whispered, bringing up her face to his. “As long as you promise to take care of me afterward, I’ll be just fine.”

“You sure?” she asked, still unsure.

He didn’t say anything. Instead, he just smiled and brought her in for a kiss. He tasted sweat and the copper-y sting of his own blood, but he didn’t care. He held her close and deepened the kiss, meshing his tongue with hers. They separated and she laid her head on his chest again, purring contently. He brought his hand up and pet her head. Her purrs increasing.

After about thirty minutes of that, Noon decided it was time to get up. He didn’t want to, but it was getting time to start the day.

“M’Ress…” he said, still stroking her hair.

“Mmm-hmmm?” she responded.

“We have to get up now.” She groaned in displeasure and gripped her tighter.

“Noooooo…” she said.

“Lieutenant,” he said sternly. “We have duties to perform.” She sighed, knowing he was right.

“Okay…” And with that she reluctantly pulled away from him, standing up on her knees and stretching, scratching her head, and ruffling her hair, making it fall over her face and eyes. She rested for a brief moment and Noon had to stifle a laugh, seeing her with her hair a complete mess and a goofy crooked grin peeking out underneath the tangled storm.

“I’m going to take a shower,” she said suddenly and hopped off the bed with cat-like speed. Noon watched her nude form strut across the bedroom over to his bathroom and open the door. She walked in… and didn’t close the door behind her. Noon laid there in bed, listening to her start up the shower and collect cleaning supplies. Steam began to waft out of the bathroom as he heard her step inside the shower stall, the sound of water fell in the unusual patterns of use.

He thought about his options and blew air from his mouth, thinking things over. He pulled up the sheet covering his junk and glanced at his genitals.

“What do you say, buddy? One more for the road?” It twitched. Noon nodded and let the sheet fall. “Yeah, that’s what I thought you’d say.” He took in a big breath of air and exhaled, swinging his body over the side of the bed and walking over to the bathroom. He stepped inside and saw M’Ress on the other side of the glass shower wall. Eyes closed, paws running through her hair as water ran down her furred body. His dick immediately jumped to attention.

Noon opened the shower door and got in, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and planting a series of kisses across her shoulder.

“ _Mmmmrrrr_ …” she purred and reached behind herself to grip onto the back of his neck. “What kept you?” Noon scoffed.

“Please, you had no idea I was coming,” he said, hugging her, letting the water wash over them.

“I know you better than you think,” she said.

“Yeah?” he said, cocking an eye open at her. “Did you know I was gonna do… THIS?” And then twirled her around, pushing her up against the glass shower wall.

“I had a feeling,” she managed to breath out before he smothered her mouth with his. He grabbed her thighs and picked her up, getting her to wrap them around his waist as he entered her again. She broke the kiss to mewl out in pleasure before diving back into his mouth.

One of her paws gripped his head while the other stroked down his back, scratching him and reopening some of the wounds from the previous night. Noon let the pain wash over him like hot water, but instead of letting it stop there, he funneled that pain in anger, increasing the force in which he was pounding M’Ress against the shower wall.

“Oh, GODS! She screamed out. “Commander, you’re going to break me~” she pleaded. “Please, human, show me mercy!” Noon slammed her hard and then reached up to grab her hair, pulling her head back roughly. Her face was flushed, and her tongue lolled out of her mouth.

“You want me to stop?” he snapped.

“N-no…” she mewled, trying to break from his grasp and kiss him again.

“Then ask me,” he said. “Ask me _nicely_.”

“Please fuck me,” she sobbed out in reckless pleasure. “Please, human… use me…” And with that, he continued his barrage of thrusts. “Never stop… claim me…” He let go of her hair and her head fell forward She wrapped both her arms around his shoulders as the water continued to drench them and he continued he smash his hips against hers. “Cum inside me, please…!” she begged as she screamed out an orgasm, drenching them further.

M’Ress’s legs twitched and spasmed as Noon approached his own finish. He pushed her head up with his and brought their mouths together for a kiss as he unleashed his seed inside her. She whimpered into his mouth as the warmth of his cum spread throughout her insides. She locked her ankles around him and enjoyed the feel of his male essence spilling into her, knowing that his virile human seed seeped into her fertile womb, knowing that if not for her birth control, he would have planted a child within her. She lightly bit his neck and nuzzled his collarbone. He felt _wonderful_.

Noon’s grip relaxed and he let her to the floor, tracing his arms back up her body to pull her into another kiss. He broke it off and ran his hand over her cheek, taking in the precious sight of her.

“Alright,” he whispered. “Now it’s time to get clean for real.” M’Ress laughed and hugged him close, grabbing some soap.

“Of course,” she whispered back and began to wash his body as he grabbed some of the same soap and scrubbed her fur clean.

* * *

It took them another hour and another three heated make-out sessions to finally dress decently enough to move about the halls.

“Can you hurry? We’re going to be late!” M’Ress said, pestering him playfully.

“We wouldn’t be if you had just given me my shirt when I asked for it,” he said, putting the finishing touches on his boots.

“I wanted to see how I’d look in a male uniform,” she said, shrugging. “And other than it being a little too big on me, which is more your fault, I thought I looked great. It’s a shame female officers aren’t allowed them.”

“Yes, you are,” Noon said.

“Really?” M’Ress said, genuinely surprised. “Since when?”

“Since… always? You’re allowed, but that’s the standard female uniform. If you want the other one, you just have to ask.”

“I… never even thought to try that.”

“No one ever seems to.”

“Hmm… I still think I’ll stick with mine. It’s more breezy.”

“That’s a good point,” Noon said, finishing his boots and standing. “Maybe I should request a female uniform. We’d have matching skirts.” M’Ress laughed and swatted at him.

“No, stop! I wear the command skirt in this relationship, mister!”

“Oh, there’s a _command skirt_ now?”

“Indeed. And it outranks pants.”

“Damn these arbitrary sexist hierarchies.”

“Sorry, Commander.”

“One day men WILL be free to wear skirts and when they are… I’ll probably shave my legs.”

They shared a laugh and walked over to the front door of his quarters.

“So… here we go,” Noon said.

“It’ll be fine,” she reassured him. “We’re adults. We’re allowed to do adult things. And fraternization is only frowned upon in certain situations, we won’t lose our careers if anyone finds out.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

“Oh? Then what are you worried about?”

“Simmons.”

“Ah.”

“Yep.”

They both stood there, contemplating that for a second.

“He’s going to put me to the irons over this, you know that,” he said.

“I do.”

“So… _what_ am I allowed to say?”

“Tell him I was the best you ever had.”

“Oh, should I?”

“You shouldn’t lie to your best friend,” she said, smiling. “You can tell him whatever you feel like. I’m not ashamed of what we did. Or what we’re going to do. _Mrrewwrrr_.”

“What we’re going to do?” he inquired.

“If you think this is over, then you’re sorely mistaken, Commander,” she purred. “Whenever Starfleet doesn’t have you, _I want you_.”

“Sounds like I have a new full-time job.”

“Like I said: on this ship, you’re my mate,” she said while hugging his arm and nuzzling his shoulder. “And I want my mate beside me whenever possible. To meet my needs, serve me food, massage my feet and back, give me belly rubs… all the essentials.”

“Still though… _mate?_ Makes us sound… kinda serious.”

“Not really. My species uses it interchangeably with ‘lover.’ If that makes you feel better, you can be my _lover_ who meets my needs, serves me food, massages my feet and back, and gives me belly rubs.”

“Alright, alright. Should I make a list, _Mistress?”_

“If it would make things easier on you,” she said. “Also, keep in mind, if you start calling me Mistress, it WILL stick to _every_ aspect of our relationship.”

“Duly noted, Kitten.” And then he gave her an affectionate scratch behind the ear.

With that, they squeezed hands one final time and opened the door.

Two seconds later, M’Ress’s communicator beeped. She gave it a flip.

“Yes?”

“Miss M’Ress, this is Dodge, I’m going to need you down in Engineering first thing. Vedra will fill you in when you get there.”

“Right away, sir. M’Ress out.” She snapped her communicator shut and gave Noon a rueful smile.

“And so we part,” he said.

“ _And parting is such sweet sorrow_ ,” she mused, giving him a wink. “I’ll see you later, Commander.” She looked up and down the hall, leaned up to give him a quick nuzzle and ran off towards engineering. Noon stayed to watch her go until she disappeared around a corner.

“There goes the woman who will definitely be the death of me,” he said in a jolly tone. “It’ll be worth it though.” Then his back felt wet. “Speaking of which…” he went down the other way towards medical. Hopefully Chen won’t ask too many questions why his back and chest are bloodied. And even if he did, Noon could easily think of some clever misdirection.

* * *

When Noon sat down on the medical table and took off his shirt, Dr. Chen looked his wounds up and down.

“What, did you insult her acting?” he asked. Noon shot him a look.

“Who?” he asked in return, trying to play as dumb as possible.

“Lt. M’Ress. Those are Caitian claw scratches. Looks like you must’ve done something to really make her mad. You know what though? Don’t tell me what you did. I don’t want to know. I have too high of an opinion of you and I don’t want that delicate illusion shattered.” Then Chen walked away and started preparing some sort of medicine. Noon was unsure if the doctor had just insulted him or not.

“So you struck out, huh, buddy?” Simmons said, poking his head through the door to the next room. “Well that’s what happens when you play with fire. You’ll bounce back though, I’m sure.” Then Simmons got a good look of _where_ the wounds were and cracked up laughing. “Never mind, dynamo! I hope that was all she scratched!”

“Doc, whatever happened to private rooms and doctor-patient confidentiality?” Noon asked.

“You go ahead and get him to shut up,” said an annoyed Chen. “I’m just the doctor.”

Simmons hopped up on the table next to Noon and clapped him on the arm.

“So…?” Simmons started.

“So what,” Noon said.

“Details, man! Details!”

“What did I tell you last night? Also, why are you even here?”

“Looking for a hangover remedy. But the doc here doesn’t want to help me!”

“Because I take care of actually hurt and-slash-or sick people here. Speaking of…” he walked up to Noon, shot him full of a medicine and handed him a container of some kind of lotion. “The shot I gave you will help speed up the healing process and the lotion will do the same, just apply it tonight and you’ll be fine.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Noon said, slipping his shirt back on.

“Also, as your doctor, I am obliged to tell you that I just checked your blood for Caitian STD’s which are fairly mild in their species but have been known to kill humans. Slowly. In horrible agony. And you’re clear.”

“…Thank you?”

“You see, the tricky thing is you don’t even notice the STD until it’s entered the human system. Lieutenant M’Ress could have been carrying something that would have killed you and no one would have noticed until your genitals fell off and your blood started turning into tar.”

“Thank you, again,” Noon said. “And thank you for your…” he glanced at Simmons, who was still grinning like a loon, “… _limited_ discretion.”

“Please, I’ve been the doctor on seven different starships. Do you know how many skeletons I keep in my closet? I could take down an entire fleet with the information I know. Your relationship with Lieutenant M’Ress is barely a blip on the radar. Now please talk to Simmons, he’s bursting at the seams.”

Noon rolled his eyes.

“Yes, Simmons, the Lieutenant and I are in a relationship,” he said.

“Come on, I already knew that! We’re friends, you can be honest with me!” Noon sighed in resignation, pinching the bridge of nose, knowing he wasn’t getting out of this until he said something.

“Fine,” he said. “What do you want to know?”

“Start with when I left! What happened? Don’t spare the raunchy details!”

“Look, _nothing_ really happened! Stuff happened, a lot of great stuff, but… look… the Lieutenant came into my quarters and then… well, and then…”

“And then what?” asked Captain Dodge from the doorway. Noon and Simmons stiffened.

“Sir! Captain, sir… I, uhhh…” Noon tried to think of something. Talking about it with Simmons was one thing but discussing matters like this with the Captain was beyond what he was comfortable with.

“Don’t leave us in suspense, Commander,” Dodge continued, taking a drink from the cup he held in his hand. “Lieutenant M’Ress came into your quarters last night… and then what?”

“And then, we… discussed early Terran politics for an hour,” Noon said, not sure what he was saying.

“Ah,” the Captain remarked.

“The Lieutenant is very nice.”

“I don’t doubt it,” said Dodge, taking another drink. “What’s the lotion for?”

“I… have… ashy elbows?”

“Oh dear. You should stay on top of that. Ashy elbows can be a surprisingly serious problem.”

“That’s why I’m here. For the cream to help with my… ashy elbows.”

“Super. Why are _you_ here, Lieutenant?”

“Sir, because I have a hangover, sir,” said Simmons in his best business voice.

“Also super. Now, I hope that because you two have so much time to discuss ashy elbows, hangovers, and the miracle lotions to fix both, I should hope you have enough time to make it to the bridge before your shifts start?” Noon and Simmons then mumbled some affirmatives and rushed for the door. Heading out into the hall, Dodge called after Noon.

“Oh, and Commander!”

“Yes, sir?” Noon said, turning around. Dodge tipped his cup in Noon’s direction.

“Could you put in a request for some upgrades to the crew quarters next time we’re due for a refitting? It turns out the walls between _our_ quarters are _quite thin_ and I’d like to have that corrected as soon as possible.” Dodge then took another sip and gave a friendly nod in the Commander’s direction.

Noon died a little inside.

“I shall do that, sir,” Noon said and walked away.

“Be sure you do. _Trooper_.”

Noon winced but continued to walk towards the bridge. Simmons waited until they were out of earshot before talking again.

“What was that last part about?” he asked.

“Nothing!” Noon snapped. “And you can forget about ever hearing anything from regarding whatever relationship I may or not have with Lieutenant M’Ress!”

“Come on, man!”

“No, forget it. No more! From now on, this matter will be handled with the discretion and respect that both the Lieutenant and I deserve!”

* * *

“ _Mrrrewwww_ … we definitely had sex,” M’Ress said.

“Obviously,” Vedra responded, looking over her engineers’ specs. “I knew you two were having sex before you did. What happened?”

“He performed oral sex on me…”

“To start with? What a gentleman.”

“…we then did the face-to-face position…”

“Classic.”

“…we did it laying side by side as he gave me belly rubs…”

“That’s… a new one. Go on.”

“…then we Human Cuddled until morning, when I mounted him while still in bed and then he took me against the shower wall.”

“Sounds like you had a hell of a night.”

“Until last night, I hadn’t done any of those things,” M’Ress confessed. “I had _heard_ about them, but it was all so _new_ to me.”

“Aren’t you the little pioneer! So what made you want the Commander in particular?”

“He is kind, intelligent, funny, and holds a position of authority. Commander Noon is truly an optimal mate for this voyage.”

“You Caitians really do know how to cut to the heart of the matter, huh?” Vedra said, feeling a little envious. “How does he size up with one of your Caitian boys?”

“Commander Noon does have a slight advantage of length, but Caitian men are much thicker. And he also lacks the spines which give an ounce of pain for every ounce of pleasure. With him, it’s just the pleasure. You Human women are very lucky. _Mrowrr_.”

“I meant… _in general_ but thank you for sharing that bit of information about the Commander.”

“Oh… I suppose Commander Noon is more tender. No less fierce when he wants to be, but there is a softness to him. Being with him, allowing him to take me… it feels good,” M’Ress lightly scraped her claws against the console. “And safe.” Vedra looked up from her work.

“Do you love him?” she asked M’Ress. The Caitian looked up in confusion.

“Love? No. He is a good friend, an exceptional male, and I wanted him in my bed. Love has nothing to do with it.”

“You sure? Because you kinda sound like you’re in love, kiddo.”

“No,” M’Ress insisted. “Love is not a factor here. Besides, even if it were… there is no future for us. Falling in love would be foolish.”

“…Do want to talk about _whatever_ that meant?”

“No,” M’Ress said with finality.

“Alright,” Vedra said, “But I’m warning you, you keep shacking up with the Commander and you _will_ fall in love. Especially given that boy’s history.”

“His history?” M’Ress asked with genuine curiosity.

“You seriously don’t know? It’s in his public personnel file. Also haven’t you two been sleeping together?”

“The Commander doesn’t talk of his past in specifics. And I do not snoop where I have not been invited,” M’Ress said with pride. Vedra nodded with approval.

“That’s actually a good life motto to have, kiddo. If you really don’t know, then you should hear it from him. But I’m warning you, if you do, prepare to _swoon_.”

“Did he rescue orphans from a burning building while discovering a way to bring back the dead?” M’Ress asked, humor rich in her voice.

“You would think so, listening to how some of the jokers around here tell it,” Vedra responded.

“Then I really should ask the Commander. Thank you, Chief.”

“No worries, honey. Just remember what I said: try not to swoon,” Vedra said, with a friendly wink.

“I do not believe this conversation has been appropriate for on-duty hours,” said Novo over the communicator on the bridge.

“You’re the one who said she wanted to be a part of ‘girl talk.’ This is girl talk,” said Vedra.

“I find it hard to believe that all women of differing species discuss are love, the reproductive organs of their sexual partners, and the various ways in way they conduct themselves during intercourse,” Novo said. “It sounds most… irregular.”

“Well, that’s only _certain kinds_ of girl talk,” Vedra said, M’Ress stifling a laugh. “We did also talk about Mr. Noon’s personal history. And that has nothing to do with sex organs _or_ intercourse.”

“True,” Novo agreed. “You could also discuss it with him right now, if you wish.”

A moment of silence.

“How?” M’Ress asked, her stomach dropping.

“Because he has been on the bridge now for the last five minutes,” Novo said. M’Ress and Vedra shared a painful wince.

“Which means,” Vedra said, “he’s heard…?”

“The last five minutes of your conversation,” Novo said. “Beginning with the part in which Lieutenant M’Ress confirmed that they indeed performed intercourse with one another.”

“And he can hear us now?” asked Vedra.

“Yes.”

And indeed, for the last five minutes, Noon had been standing on the bridge in complete and utter abject horror, hand over his mouth, listening to the conversation going on in engineering.

“…Hello, Commander,” said Vedra, trying to sound cheerful.

“Hello, Chief,” said Noon.

“Hi… Commander…” said M’Ress, much more shamefully.

“Hello… Lieutenant,” said Noon, somewhat embarrassed this time. “How are those new language algorithm integrations into the engines coming along?”

“They should be done shortly, sir,” said M’Ress, gaining a little comfort from Vedra’s reassuring smile.

“Good. Be sure you return to your station on the bridge as soon as they’re done. And… Lieutenant?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Please keep all personal matters off public communication lines in the future.”

“Yes… _sir_.”

“Thank you. Noon out.” And with that, Noon feel backwards into the Captain’s chair. Rubbing his temples and sighing into his palms. “You know, Miss Novo? Sometimes I think this crew is just a little _too_ personal at times.”

Novo considered this.

“Possibly,” she said. “But as a clay brick, I would have no opinion on the matter, or indeed any matter.” Noon sighed and rested his chin on his hand.

“She sure does work fast,” Noon muttered to himself. Then, in a much louder tone of voice, “Steady as she goes, Miss Novo.”

“Aye, Commander.”

* * *

“I’m _very_ sorry?” M’Ress said, walking alongside Noon later that day. Just saying ‘I’m sorry’ didn’t elicit a response from him, so she attempted to double down on her apology. That also didn’t elicit a response, so M’Ress tried to gently hold his shoulder. “Please say something. I’m sorry I talked about it, I was just so excited and Vedra said she already knew anyway and—”

“I’m not mad about that,” Noon said, cutting her off, “I’m annoyed. _Definitely_ annoyed, but not mad. I’m mad because… your work performance is being affected. Those algorithms should have taken you no more than ten minutes to look at, but you were down there for almost an hour.” He glanced at her. “Talking about matters that I don’t think concerns anyone other than me or you.”

“Right,” M’Ress said, nervously pushing the hair back behind one of her ears.

“You’re a damn good communications officer, M’Ress,” Noon said. “You deserve to make it as far as you’re willing to go in Starfleet, and I don’t want to jeopardize that.”

“You won’t!” M’Ress exclaimed. “I got caught up in the moment, but this will not endanger my career. I won’t allow it.” Noon stopped and sighed, leaning against a wall and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I want to believe that,” Noon said. “I _do_ believe that, I’m just... worried.”

“You weren’t worried _last night_ ,” M’Ress said.

“ _Last night_ I was experiencing an incredible evening with an indescribably exquisite creature from beyond the stars. I wasn’t exactly thinking of the ramifications.”

…Indescribably exquisite?” M’Ress asked, smiling up at him.

“Yeah, well, don’t let that go to your head. You’re the one in trouble and I had to top ‘exceptional male’ somehow,” Noon said, finally smiling himself. “Which, by the way, I should have permanently transcribed on my record.”

“You should,” M’Ress agreed. “It would let all future female crewmen know that you are worthy enough to take into bed.”

“…But not much more than that, huh?” Noon asked coyly.

“Commander, about that I didn’t mean any disrespect or—”

“No, look… I _agree_ with you. You’re a dear friend and I’m just thankful for the time we get to have together,” Noon said. He reached down and grabbed her paw, squeezing it lovingly. She squeezed it back and smiled at him. “I just wish that our time together wasn’t so much of a distraction.” Just then an ensign walked by, and noticing them, gave them a big wink and a thumbs-up. Noon and M’Ress quickly parted hands and took a few steps away from each other. “I also wish that our time together wasn’t the worst kept secret on this blasted ship.”

“ _Mrrowrr_ … Be proud,” M’Ress said. “At least now everyone knows you are with a female who is _indescribably exquisite_.”

“And who is _also_ in trouble. Don’t forget that part.”

“I know, and… I think you should put in a request for Captain Dodge to reprimand me. Officially.” M’Ress’s gaze was deathly serious.

“I’m not going to reprimand you,” Noon said, treating it like a joke.

“Why not? _I_ started the conversation, I used duty hours for highly inappropriate conversation. If you don’t, it’ll look like you’re letting me get away with infractions because we’re mates.”

“No, it’ll be because as second-in-command of this vessel, knowing your entire work history has been flawless up until this point, one single break from your stellar record is not enough for me to put in for an official reprimand. I know this behavior is not the norm and I know you’re smart enough to learn from this discretion and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“So… I get off with a warning?”

“A _very stern_ warning, missy. Now, I don’t know the _full_ history of what sort of tom-foolery you got up to before last night, before I started helping you with your… _special medical condition_ , but I don’t believe any permanent damage was done. So… you’re in the clear.”

“Thank you… Commander,” M’Ress said. “I will be sure to live up to your expectations of me.” Just then, a maintenance worker walked past, carrying a large assortment of tools into a nearby briefing room.

“Ensign?” asked Noon, curiously. “Where are you taking those tools?”

“It’s nothing serious, sir. Someone scratched the hell out of the table in there a few days ago and I just now got the time to fix it. Practically tore it to pieces, sir. Can you believe that?”

“I can’t,” said Noon, completely oblivious.

“Neither can I,” said M’Ress, slightly less oblivious. “Dinner?”

“Sure,” Noon said, shrugging. He dismissed the ensign and the two walked off to the rec room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ends this part of the tale! Or should I say... tail? God, I love jokes. Anyway, again I borrowed from this piece of art on DeviantArt by PlagueOfGripes:
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/gannadene/art/Mress-s-Interspecies-Exchange-680044269
> 
> It finally gets closed out. I swear I'm gonna start using other art as inspiration. But until then...
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> "What Real Courage Is"
> 
> Commander Noon opens up to M'Ress and shares a daring, heroic tale from his past.


	8. What Real Courage Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noon shares a tale of his past.

As the two sat down to eat, there was only one thought on M’Ress’s mind.

“Commander, may I ask you a question?” she inquired.

“Sure. Also, when we’re off-duty like this, you can just call me Noon, if you prefer. Or Atticus, if you prefer that.”

“ _Mrowrrr_. I’ll take that suggestion under consideration. _Commander_ ,” M’Ress said with a wicked smile. Noon rolled his eyes but continued to eat.

“What’s your question, M’Ress?”

“I wanted to know… about the story everyone seems to know about you.” Noon stopped eating briefly but eventually continued after a moment of consideration.

“You could just look in my personnel file.”

“We both know why I haven’t yet and why I won’t,” M’Ress said.

“Yeah, I… I heard. Look, I…” Noon stopped eating to find the right words. “I don’t like to discuss it. Not because it’s traumatic or hard for me. I’m proud of it, I don’t shy away from that, but it’s… somewhat blown out of proportion and it gets… bothersome. And I’m used to everyone reading about it or hearing about it anyways, so it’s not something I have to recount often.”

“What is it?” M’Ress asked. “Just tell me. You know I would never dream of blowing anything of yours out of proportion. _Mrrrewwrrrrr_.”

“Well thank you,” Noon said, raising his drink at her in appreciation and taking a sip. He swirled its contents, staring at the liquid melding with the fog of his memories. He set his drink down and scratched the back of his head.

“Please? I don’t like to pry, but it sounds important. And I want to know these things about you.” She reached over and held his hand. “You can trust me.” Noon smiled at her and gripped her paw in return. He took in a deep breath and let it out.

“I was in command of a stolen Klingon Warbird for twenty minutes.”

M’Ress blinked.

“You… stole a Klingon Warbird?”

“No,” he immediately corrected, “No, I didn’t steal it. It was _already_ stolen. I just… took command of it and… blew up a second stolen Klingon Warbird. And a… stolen light cruiser. And then… three other ships.”

“Incredible…” M’Ress said, a new level of respect growing for Noon.

“No, not really. I didn’t do _anything_. I just told everyone else what to do.”

“How? You couldn’t have been a commander at that point.”

“I wasn’t, I was… let me start from the beginning.”

“Please, do. I was hoping for a story, but this sounds like a most thrilling _saga_ of heroic exploits.”

“Prepare to be disappointed by my ‘heroic exploits,’” Noon said, taking a swig of his drink and folding his hand together.

“I was a lieutenant, assigned to the USS _Scout_. It was my first real assignment as a security officer. I received a mission from my captain, it was a low-level job. Nothing too important. I was to escort a group of six ensigns, a mix of science personnel and engineers, that were being transferred to a nearby Starbase. We were stopping off at an abandoned remote survey site along the way. It was only supposed to take a few hours and was considered important enough to utilize a shuttle craft for it, but not important enough for anyone actually important to be involved.”

“We get to the survey site and, as it turned out, it was no longer abandoned. Apparently, it had become the meeting point for a branch of an underground starship black market run by all kinds interesting criminals. Including rogue Klingons. I assume that’s how they got the Warbirds. Bad luck for us as they immediately jammed our transmissions, locked a tractor beam on us, and brought us onboard.”

“Why didn’t they just kill you?” M’Ress asked.

“From what I gathered, they thought we’d be more valuable alive. Ransoming us off for even more profit. It was a special kind of business-savvy behavior, I suppose. Anyway, while on board the stolen Warbird, alone in my own cell, I considered our options. Waiting to be ransomed off. I was at a loss. I didn’t know what the hell to do! I just knew that I had to somehow not lose it, I had to think of something, power through the fear in my gut and find a way. That’s when the door to my cell opens and there stands Ensign Rodriguez. He had managed to break into the Warbird’s systems and deactivate the security to our cells without setting off the alarms. We freed everyone else and ran down the halls, encountering almost no one. These vessels were manned by the most skeletal of skeletons crews, so we were almost entirely alone. But we did manage to run into a single Klingon guard. And I mean ran into him _face-first_. He grabbed my throat and would have broken my neck if my team hadn’t tackled him to the ground and took his weapons.

“We tied him up and found a weapons locker. Armed, we stormed the bridge and took the black market dealers completely by surprise. Seeing the looks on their faces was the proudest I had ever felt in my life up until that point.”

Noon looked wistful for a second, recalling their stunned expressions, before continuing:

“We tied them up and left them locked in a side room. So then… we had a Warbird. But we also had about five other stolen ships to contend with. At this point, I had no idea what I was doing… but my people did. They just didn’t know it. They were _hungry_ for it. I could tell just by looking at them. They were ready to jump at the chance to see if we could actually pilot a Klingon Warbird. So I snapped them to attention, putting them to work. Rodriguez and Smiths to see if they could make heads or tails of the science stations. T’lia to engineering, Delgado to work the helm, and Summers on translating Klingon. And we were actually able to get it going! …Barely. Summers was working harder than everyone, translating the screens and making sure everyone knew what was being said.”

“What were you doing?” M’Ress asked, completely engrossed.

“Nodding a whole bunch, staying out of everyone’s way, and trying not to vomit,” Noon said with a grin. “I was just a security officer. I had command training at that point and an understanding of ship systems, but this was a _Klingon Warbird_. These people? They were only Ensigns, true, but they lived and breathed this stuff and they took to the challenge of commandeering this Warbird like… well, birds to the sky. I hadn’t the foggiest idea about what the hell they were doing and saying, but I did my best to pay attention and make sure no one was wasting their time. Which… I guess is what command is. But at the time, it felt like my job was not emptying my lunch across the consoles. I kept steady, kept everyone reassured, and they eventually got the damn thing going.

“Of course, when we did, the other ship knew something was wrong and started converging on us. At least, the ones that could move. They were all under-manned and under-gunned, and underpowered, but there were still five of them. My team still needed time to figure out weapon systems, so I told Delgado to run around the planet in circles until we figured that out.”

“You couldn’t warp out?” M’Ress asked.

“No, none of the ships were warp-capable. They were planning on towing each one individually to the buyers. And it only took one revolution around the planet for them to figure out what we were doing, so we went in-atmosphere. And let me tell you, Delgado flew that Warbird like I had never seen before. Klingon Empire, Starfleet or otherwise. She kept up the chase, they only managed to score a few hits off our shields before we got the weapons online and the game changed.

“We had no warp and barely knew how to fly the ship, but we had weapons. And they didn’t know that. At least, that’s what we assumed because we targeted the other Warbird and let our full arsenal rip. _Blown to pieces._ The pursuing vessels bugged out and started to gain a lot of distance, attacking us from afar. We picked another target, the only Federation ship they had and did the same thing to it that we did to the other Warbird. I don’t know why they hadn’t raised shields. Maybe they thought we wouldn’t be good enough shots, or maybe they didn’t fully understand the ship’s systems, but whatever the reason we put it down before the old girl could be violated any more than she already was.

“The USS _Merrimac_. An older ship, it got decommissioned and was sentenced to get scrapped before it disappeared. I bought a model of it to try and honor its memory. I didn’t like ordering a Federation ship to be destroyed. I never want to do that again.”

Noon sat there in silence, lost in thought. After a few moments, he shook his head and stirred from his daze.

“Anyway, we had three ships left and none of them were going to get caught off-guard like the other two. They had full shields and didn’t make themselves easy targets. By then we had flown out into space proper again, and we were quickly losing the tide in the fight. It became problem after problem. Shields were going down, had to divert power to them, engines were overheating, one of the black market dealers got loose, an explosion almost blinded Smiths… it was problem after problem. Rodriguez and T’lia and Summers… they did their best to combat each problem as they came up. But they were piling up. And I didn’t know how to save the ship. I knew we were beat… but I also knew we had to keep trying anyway.

“…Then I had a thought. Why save the ship? It was a Klingon Warbird and could have been immensely valuable to the Federation, but we weren’t going to make it out of there with our lives. So it was either us and the ship, or just the ship. So I chose the ship and asked my team if they could rig the Warbird to self-destruct. Our shuttle was still in the hangar bay so we had a way out, but getting the ship to explode without us on it would be tricky. While under heavy fire, they managed to rig up the engines to blow, giving us just enough time to get out. We just needed the other ships in range. So Summers opened a channel and I told them we were surrendering. We slowed down and stopped firing. So did they. After a few tense minutes of fake negotiating, everything on our own end was set. I lied and said out shields were malfunctioning, told them we needed time to get them deactivated so they could beam aboard. We sprinted to the hangar bay. We only had five minutes to get the hell out of there before the Warbird exploded. That was probably the fastest I had ever run in my entire life.

“We made it with seconds to spare and shot out of that hangar right as the Warbird exploded, taking down the other three ships in the process. And at the same time, the _Scout_ jumped into orbit to see the explosion we created and witness us making our daring getaway, crippling a major black market operation, and making sure precious Federation materials stayed out of criminal hands.” Noon took another drink, finishing off his glass. “And that was basically it.”

“You… didn’t mention what you and your team did with the prisoners,” M’Ress asked. Noon, whose face had been solemn during the whole story, suddenly found a way to become even more grim.

“We left them,” he said, his voice filled with pain and regret. “We didn’t have room for them on the shuttle. We couldn’t lower shields to beam them out… so we had to leave them. Any of those men would have killed us in a heartbeat though.” He said this but didn’t sound convinced. “So there was no real moral dilemma. Summers and Rodriguez tried to argue to figure out _something_ , but I made the call. We were all chummy up until then, but that… ordering them to leave men to die… it didn’t sit right with them. It didn’t sit right with me, but I had to save _my_ people and protect them from criminals who I didn’t even know. They wanted us alive at first, but we had defended ourselves, killed their friends! We could’ve been enslaved or butchered or…” Noon had begun to raise his voice, but M’Ress gently squeezed his hand to bring him back into the moment. Noon silently thanked her for that and smiled sadly.

“Anyway,” he continued, “From there, we got back onto the _Scout_. Smiths had actually managed to save a copy of the flight record from the Warbird, so alongside our testimonies, we also had the recorder to back up our story. From there it was congratulations and shaking hands with admirals and well… I was able to swing a promotion to Commander from that.”

“Really? Just from that?” M’Ress asked. “You’d think it would just be medals or commendations or the like.”

“That’s how it started, but an admiral I knew from my time at the academy, Admiral Radley, really pushed for me to take a greater command role in Starfleet. I was one of several of his protégés and he wanted to see one of his people get pushed farther and harder than anyone had before. He argued that my ability to motivate everyone, keep cool under intense pressure, and manage both limited and foreign resources in a deadly situation made me prime material for command.

“I still feel like I didn’t do all that much, but Command was _mostly_ convinced. I was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and served on the _Robinson_ for six months as Chief of Security before being promoted to Commander and assigned to the _Hood_. And even though I’ve held these ranks, they’re basically tentative positions. Command is still a little nervous with me, but I’ve been able to hold to their standards so far.”

“Still feel like puking most of the time?” M’Ress asked with a sly grin.

“Heh. Nah. Those six months on the _Robinson_ helped bridge the gap. I made mistakes, but none big enough to make Command change their minds. So that’s my tale. My heroic exploits amounting to almost getting murdered by a Klingon and telling a lot of very talented people to do what they were already doing.”

“Hmmmm…” M’Ress hummed to herself. “Maybe I should track down some of these Ensigns and get their side of the story because I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit.”

“Maybe not, but I still think every single one of those Ensigns was more valuable than I could ever hope to be and did more to save our skins than I could even dream of doing,” Noon said. M’Ress laughed at him and shook her head.

“You do realize that’s exactly why you make a good leader, right?” she asked. “There is more to leadership, of course, but holding to that philosophy, that all your people hold an equal if not more valuable position to yourself, makes you worthy to walk the path of leadership. And you lived it, demonstrated it.” M’Ress looked him up and down before cracking a smile and steepling her furred fingers in front of her mouth. “You know, Vedra was right… I may be _swooning_ a little.”

“Stop,” Noon demanded.

“Oh no, it’s true. In your presence, I feel like a virgin in the Temple of Otes, ready to pass out from the vapors! Please be sure to catch me when I fall, o great hero!”

“I’ll let you fall to the floor.”

“And when you ravish me, do so gently. For I have never before known the touch of a male, let alone a great heroic male such as you!”

“Are you done?”

“I will give you the names of our twelve children later on, but yes,” M’Ress said. And the two shared a laugh while clearing off the rest of their plates.

“That’s my one good story, so you better appreciate it,” Noon said. “I don’t really have any others.”

“I shall cherish it like one of our many fake children,” M’Ress said with conviction. “But now I’m feeling a little at a loss. _Mrrrrrwwww_. None of my stories are nearly as dramatic.”

“What about that one time you fell into a pit of spiders with your ship’s Chief of Security?”

“Yes, I think I remember that!” M’Ress exclaimed happily. “We were both wearing big sheets and you danced before their queen, scaring her off a cliff into a boiling vat of magma with your ghostly wiles!”

“You know, I don’t think that’s how that happened, M’Ress.”

“That’s how I tell the story. It makes you look better.”

“How so?”

“It makes people think you can dance,” she said plainly. Noon rolled his eyes as the two stepped out into the hall, unsure of where to go.

“So… now where?” he asked.

“Well…” M’Ress said as stepped closer and held one of his hands in her paws, “…if you have nothing else to do tonight. We could go to your quarters. For coffee? I believe that is the Human custom.” She batted her eyelashes at him and smiled that wicked smile.

“I would love that, but we cannot do what we did my quarters again. At least, not for a while. Apparently, I have thin walls.”

“Oh…” M’Ress said, slightly disappointed. “Ah, well. I guess we can go to my quarters then. They’re not as big as yours, but they are more…” M’Ress leaned up to whisper in his ear, “…intimate.” Noon nodded his head and gave her a goofy grin.

“Intimate is good. I can get behind intimate.”

“Good,” M’Ress said happily and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards her quarters. “Because your female demands your attention.”

“Foot massage or feeding you?” he asked, surprised at how strong her grip was.

“Both. At first. Then we’ll see where the night takes us.”

“Lucky me,” Noon muttered to himself as he was pulled along, content to share another night with his mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's that bit done! Some backstory for our leading man, kinda short, but it gets the point across. 
> 
> This only ends the first arc, I guess. If we're doing "arcs." The next few chapters are largely self-contained "of the week" adventures. So get ready for some fun classic Treks! Starting with...
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> "Lost Things Like Us"
> 
> Noon and M'Ress work to escape the clutches of a slaver city along with a new ally.


	9. Lost Things Like Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noon and M'Ress work to escape the clutches of a slaver city along with a new ally.

The Buyer stepped out onto the selling floor and looked disdainfully at the products on display. It was truly a nightmarish assortment of flesh. Men, women, and children locked in cages. Up for the highest bidder. It disgusted the Buyer to no end, horrified him, but he kept those feelings locked up inside. It would not do well to insult his hosts at this point in the transaction.

He had a purchase to make.

The Buyer awkwardly moved through the thin aisles and loose assortment of people to the front gates of a massive complex. In the opulent entrance hall was a slave girl of a species he did not immediately recognize perched atop a stone piece of decorative furniture. She was willowy, had short hair, and ridges going down her nose. She was also pretty, but… that would have been the point, wouldn’t it? The Buyer strode up to her and presented himself.

“I am here to see the Grand Owner of this establishment,” he boomed aloud. The girl did not say anything, she didn’t even make eye contact. She held her long legs close to her chest and stared off into the middle distance.

Shifting uncomfortably, the Buyer tried again. “Girl, I am asking to see your master. Is it your custom to act so rudely to his guests?”

This time she did glance at him, but only briefly. There was an indescribable sadness in there. The Buyer’s past traumas seemed meager in comparison to the horrors that lay in that glassy, dead stare. He tried to gather some more words before another voice boomed from an archway.

“Do not concern yourself with her, my friend!” It was the Grand Owner in all his radiance. Orange-skinned, fat, and pig-nosed, he strutted into his entrance hall. “I only keep her there as part of the decoration. It is what she’s best at. Isn’t that right, my dear?”

“Yes, master,” she said coolly.

“Still has a bite of that attitude I love so much!” he said waving a finger at her. “She’s Bajoran, you know. A rarity in these parts, to be sure. The Cardassians have been sniffing around Bajor’s backyard and when you do, well, you’re likely to find a few easily misplaced _precious goods_. They do like to keep their Bajoran precious goods to themselves, those Cardassians, but for the right price, well…” he gestured towards the Bajoran girl with pride. “There you have it. Welcome, my friend.” He bowed to the Buyer.

The buyer bowed back. “It is a privilege to finally meet one such as yourself, Grand Owner.”

“Nonsense! It is my privilege to have someone as fabulously wealthy such as yourself be my guest! Would you care to sample the Bajoran? You may consider it a privileged welcoming gift since I do not allow many to appreciate one of my finer pieces!”

“N-no…” the Buyer said with as much fake remorse as he could muster. “I much prefer to keep to business. Nothing personal, of course. She is a lovely specimen.”

“Please, no offense taken! I enjoy Humans like you! Staying focused on the matter at hand! Come, then, come, let us conduct business!”

As the Grand Owner clasped the Buyer on his back and led him deeper into the palace, the Buyer could feel the Bajoran girl glaring at them both.

“Now, my stock is all top quality! Even my lowliest possessions are beauties beyond compare in any other Alpha Quadrant market!”

“A bold claim,” the Buyer mused.

“A _true_ claim!” the Grand Owner insisted. “Ah, but you shall see, you shall see!” He led the Buyer deeper into the palace, passing by fountains and regal gardens, all of which held the well-polished horrors of enslaved women and men forced to keep the company of the Owner’s guests and high-ranking workers. The Buyer kept his gaze focused in front of himself and tried not to be distracted.

Finally reaching an opulent room ringed by a shallow waterway, open to the air with stone pillars, and velvet draperies hanging from the walls and ceilings, the Grand Owner stopped with his guest in the middle of the room, where some couches were situated into the floor. The Buyer and the Grand Owner took their seats. The Owner plucked a small fruit from a side dish and popped it into his fat mouth as he clapped his hands.

“Bring out the assortment!” he demanded. Almost immediately, a line of chained women were brought before the two. They were a mish-mash of different species, scantily dressed in attires of ornate metal, leather, and silk. Seeing them made the Buyer’s stomach churn, but he scrutinized them.

“So this would be the… _best_ you have?” he said with a bite of attitude after a few moments.

“Why… yes?” the Grand Owner seemed puzzled. “Are they not pleasing?”

“Oh most certainly. Each one is lovelier than the last,” the Buyer gestured his hand with a sweeping motion across the line. “But none of them seem to have much _character_.”

“Most men do not pick out their slaves for _personality_ ,” the Owner said, almost insultingly.

“I am not _most men_ ,” the Buyer quickly snapped. “I thought I made that clear when I graciously opened my account information to you, as you requested, to prove my worth. If you continue to doubt me, I shall take my business elsewhere.”

“Please, my lord, I meant no offense!” the Grand Buyer sputtered. “I apologize. I must tend to the desires of the humble purchaser and that has indeed left me to specialize in possessions of weaker nature. But, if you take a look, we do have a lovely Orion for sale! A _true_ slave at that! Broken from her people and genetically-altered to numb the pesky pheromone effect, I assure you! She’s green, she shakes her butt to music, and she has that raw Orion tenacity! She is everything a Human desires!” The Orion in question did indeed look broken. Her complexation and skin were flawless, her stance alluring, her treacherous smile seductive…

But one look at her eyes revealed the truth.

Much like Bajoran girl, they gave away the misery she had experienced. The Buyer considered her with a measured amount of pity.

“And make myself an enemy of Syndicate?” the Buyer said incredulously. “Certainly not. I do enjoy a dangerous game, but not _that_ dangerous.”

“So you wish for fire… but not too much?” the Grand Owner suggested.

“There is getting _burned_ , and then there is _burning to death_. I prefer the former.”

“Too fair, too fair, sire.” The grand Owner thought for a moment. “I am not sure we have too many options in that case, admittedly.”

The Buyer slipped annoyance into his voice as he said, “Are you telling me there is not a single female slave in this entire palace that does not possess an ounce of the true grit that I require?”

“Well… there is _one_ ,” he admitted. “But she is a recent acquisition and has not yet been educated fully to her new role in life.”

“Good.” The Buyer tossed his legs upon a nearby table. “Then maybe there is one whom I can find enjoyment from. Bring her before me.”

“Right away, my friend,” the Grand Owner groveled before throwing his hand in the direction of the line of girls. “Remove these from our sight and bring out the special case. This may take a few minutes. I humbly request your patience.”

“Take us much time as you need. It’s not as if I’m going anywhere.”

The Grand Owner laughed nervously and ate more small fruits from the side dish. They waited in silence before a guard announced the arrival of the slave.

“Ah, excellent, excellent! Now, my friend, I present to you, all the way from the wild exotics of deep space…”

A guard entered the hall, pulling on a chain. It held for a moment before the guard tugged harder, revealing the captive.

“…the untamed Caitian beauty!”

M’Ress stumbled into the room, clad similarly to the girls before, adorned in an intricate dancer’s outfit made from metals and silks that showed off her body in a most lewd display. As she caught her wind, she glanced at the man sitting on the viewing couches and managed to hold back her shock at who she saw.

Noon’s entire body was filled with relief at the sight of her. She didn’t look hurt, but she was definitely shaken. And he knew being dragged around like that was making her grumpy. He couldn’t hide his grin at the sight of her, so he tilted his head back and barked out a series of theatrical laugh.

“A Caitian! _Now_ you have my attention!”

“I had a feeling you would like her! But as I said, she is untamed, wild…”

“ _Perfect_ ,” Noon said, as creepily as he could. “A hunter does not go out into the wild seeking a _domesticated_ beast.”

“Too true, too true!” the Grand Owner agreed. M’Ress stood before them as patiently as she could, understanding the ruse Noon was putting on, but no less flabbergasted by his presence. “I do apologize for the bulkiness of her. Typical Caitian females have less muscle on them, but this one styles herself a fighter.”

“Is that so?” Noon said.

“Indeed. She even claims to be a Starfleet officer, but I doubt that very much. Such savage beasts are not fit for any civilized society. They are a part of the Federation, but they must be kept as pets or the like.”

“Mmmm-hmmm.” Noon was eyeing her up and down.

The Owner continued, “At this point, I would have the product demonstrated their value through a dance, but since this one refuses to behave, I don’t think we’ll be treated to such a show.”

M’Ress saw an opportunity and took it.

“Actually—” she started to say, but the Owner jumped to his feet and shouted at her.

“YOU WILL BE SILENT, CREATURE, OR WE SHALL MAKE YOU SILENT!”

Noon waved at his host to sit. “No, no,” he said, “Please, let us indulge what she has to say. I am curious.”

The Grand Owner sat back down in a huff. “Fine! But this _will_ cause further behavioral issues! SPEAK, YOU SAVAGE!”

M’Ress stared at the floor, doing her best to look as meek as possible as she said, “…I was just saying that I would happily dance for your human guest.”

Both men were dumbstruck.

“You would?” the Grand Owner said suspiciously.

“You would?” Noon said, forgetting to hide the surprise in his voice, but quickly coughing and hoping no one noticed.

“I would,” M’Ress stated, glancing up at them, a cute innocence welling in her eyes.

“And where, may I ask, is this sudden change of attitude coming from, girl?” the Owner demanded.

M’Ress rubbed her forearm bashfully while she ground her toes against the floor. “Well… the closer I make myself to the Human, the farther away I get from _you_.”

“Ha ha!” Noon laughed out. “Oh, I like her tongue. I believe this is exactly why I came here, Grand Owner.”

“Good,” the Owner said with barely contained fury. “I shall be glad to be rid of her.”

“Although, I will of course require that dance. Formalities, you know.”

“Of course.”

“I will only dance for him _alone_ ,” M’Ress spat out.

The Grand Owner stood again in order to scream more harsh words, but Noon beat him to the punch.

“Excuse me, your Grandness… but I believe the lady has spoken. Surely you can afford us _some_ privacy, yes?”

The Grand Owner looked at Noon with shock before shaking his head and walking away. “Whatever you desire, my lord,” he said. He exited the room and the guards shuffled out, leaving only Noon and M’Ress behind. But they both knew better. These type of warlords always had a few eyes watching and a few ears listening in, even when privacy had been asked for. As Noon continue to play his part, throwing his boots upon a table and stretching his arms across the back of the couch. He gestured with a hand as he said, “You may begin.”

“Of course, my lord,” M’Ress said, thick with sultry energy. She then began to dance, moving and gyrating to the sound of music coming from a nearby communication system. She swayed her hips, moving them out and back in as she slowly dancer her way towards Noon.

“So,” Noon said, attempting to sound casual, “How long have you been a guest of the Grand Owner?” 

“Not long,” M’Ress answered, giving a twirl and throwing up a leg, “only a few days.”

“I see,” Noon said, nodding at her display. “If that is true, then where did you learn to dance like this?”

“I’ve had theater training, my lord,” M’Ress said, sensually gliding her body into the couch pit. “On my world, when you learn theater, you are taught to be as limber as possible, to be able to master any role.”

“How fun!” Noon exclaimed.

M’Ress crawled across the couches and rose to face him. She began to gyrate in front of him, moving her paws up and down her body. “May I ask a question of my lord?”

“You just did,” Noon responded smugly. “But, please, do ask another.”

“How did my lord acquire his wealth?”

“Oh, that is such a long tale, my pet. But, the short of it is that it all started when I was separated from a very dear companion of mine during a most terrible spacial anomaly…”

“Oh my!” she said in mock surprise as she sat down on Noon’s lap, grinding lightly against his pelvis. “How sad! I hope your companion is alright.”

“I am sure my companion is doing surprisingly well,” he said, permitting himself to rub her sides as much as he dared. “But, I digress, after we separated, I struggled to get by. I wanted to find my companion badly, but I was alone and without any resources to contact my friends. All my communication devices had been damaged, you see.”

“I do…” M’Ress threw up her paws to hug Noon’s neck as she continued to grind against his hips. She brought up her tail to tickle his nose before spinning around and continuing the lap dance.

“Anyways, I fell in with a bad crowd, but after only a single job I found myself the only survivor and fabulously wealthy! And after a few wise investments that paid off, and making a few _wise friends_ , I thought what better way to spend my wealth than to hunt down a treasure I had heard showed up in this sector. And surprise surprise, I believe I found it.”

“ _Mrrrrrr_ … lucky you…” M’Ress whispered as she crawled into his lap and threw her arms over Noon’s shoulders, continuing her gyration. “All I have known since leaving my world is a desperation to find my way back. I faced many hardships… made a few indispensable friends… and now I find myself here. In your strong, handsome, human arms…” she leaned in close and nuzzled close to his ear.

“ _We need to shut this place down_ ,” she whispered as she brought her mouth to his and kissed him hard. Noon ran his hands down her back and gripped her rear in his hands. He kissed her with genuine passion, happy to see her again after being separated and lost for weeks. He pulled back and trailed a line of kisses across her neck.

“ _I have a plan for that_ ,” he whispered back between his teeth, taking her in for another kiss. As he did so, he slipped a small electronic device between two of the cushions. M’Ress saw this motion and glanced into his eyes, Noon just grinned into the kiss and held her tightly.

Just then, she took his head and forced him into her cleavage, mocking a passionate moan. “Please, take me away from here!” she begged in wild theatrics. “Please, my lord! Be my new master! But… surely you do not wish to take me alone, do you not?”

“I am… not sure if that would be wise,” Noon said. “You are enough of a handful as it is.”

“But… but don’t you want your new kitty to have a playmate? Please?” she said, pouting and going puppy-eyed.

“I… suppose I would have to think it over. Who are you so desperate to have me take along with you?” M’Ress started caressing his chest and pushing her hips against his again.

“She is a most lovely and _intimate_ friend and wants a new home far from here. You probably saw her on your way in… the female decoration with ridges on her nose?”

Noon wasn’t even a little surprised. Of course if M’Ress was to make a friend while captured in a slave palace, it would be that particular friend.

“Are you _absolutely_ sure? Think hard now, because I do not believe your current master will part with her so easily and the cost might be much too worth it…”

“Oh, please, my lord!” M’Ress cried out. “She has no hope of escape so she will be most loyal in your service! She only desires a warm and most homey bed as I do!”

“I suppose…” Noon finally said. M’Ress gasped in joy and nuzzled his chin.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, my most gracious master! I know she shall be most happy! We shall both please you every night, please each other for your pleasure and—”

“Yes, my pet, I do not doubt you will be _milking it_ in due time.”

“Of course… my new master,” M’Ress said with an awkward smile. “I am most eager to leave this awful, awful place. Can we leave? Please… _mrrowwrrr_?”

“Let’s,” Noon said, clapping his hands. “We are done here! You may return from whatever crevice you hide from!”

As if on cue, the Grand Owner return, gesturing his arms out in a wide arc. “Ah, my friend, I hope this beast has met your expectations!”

“She has,” Noon said, clapping M’Ress’s rear lightly, eliciting a legitimate small yelp from her and a legitimate glare that she corrected with a friendly smile. “Put her on my bill. Oh, and you may also put the Bajoran girl in the entrance hall on my bill as well.”

“My lord,” the Grand Owner blubbered, “I am afraid she is not—”

“Grand Owner. You may place her on my bill. I assure you, _credits are no object_.”

The Grand Owner licked his lips, thinking it over for a moment before nodding. “I… suppose I could part with her. It shall feel empty there before I can get another to replace her.”

“I’m sure you’ll manage,” Noon said, standing and pulling an arm around M’Ress, holding her close. “Come, my dear. Your new home awaits.”

“ _Rrrrrrrrrr_ ,” was all M’Ress said as she leaned into Noon and held his arm tightly.

“Please show us to the front. I wish to collect the rest of my things, if you don’t mind.”

“Right away, follow me, my lord,” the Grand Owner said while leading the small group through the halls again. They wound their way through the palace, arriving at the front hall where the Bajoran girl still sat on the piece of decoration.

The Owner motioned for her to get down and spoke sharply, “Get down from there, girl. You have been purchased by this fine gentleman.” The Bajoran girl shot a stern glare at Noon, then a more surprised look at M’Ress as she climbed down onto the ground.

Noon motioned for her to come to him, but she stood motionless, unsure.

M’Ress saw this indecision and spoke up. “Come with us, Tenja! I promise master shall be most kind… as long as we do as he commands…” M’Ress looked sultrily at the Bajoran and titled her head slightly towards Noon in an inviting motion. Tenja still looked cautious but walked towards them. As she came within Noon’s reach, he wrapped an arm around and brought her towards him. He leaned in, pretending to smell her hair.

“ _Apologies for my forwardness_ ,” he whispered as he deepened the way he buried his nose into her hair. Tenja began to recognize the deception and ran her hand through Noon’s hair, pushing him onto her neck as she gasped with faux pleasure. M’Ress, for her part, managed to restrain herself from breaking _that_ up. A primal desire to shred any female competition to pieces flared up within her, as well as a less primal and more understandable uncomfortableness at seeing her lover being intimate with another. Despite knowing it was a ruse, it still rubbed her the wrong way. M’Ress began digging her claws into Noon’s skin, which caused him to jump slightly and get the picture.

He pulled away and winked at Tenja, moving her to his other side, opposite from M’Ress. “I do believe these fine ladies shall provide me with adequate entertainment for the foreseeable future,” Noon said quickly, turning the three around and marching them towards the door. “Thank you for your hospitality, I shall see you when I see you again, okay, bye!”

“WAIT!”

The shout made Noon stop dead in his tracks and squint his eyes shut.

_So close._

A guard had rushed into the hall, holding a datapad.

“What is the meaning of this, you fool!?” the Grand Owner demanded.

“The man is not who he says he is!” the guard blurted out. “Look at this, sire!” The guard held up the datapad to the Owner. As the two were reading, Noon removed his arms from M’Ress and Tenja, briefly reaching into his finery with both hands and turning around.

“Something the matter, Grand Owner?” Noon managed to stay completely stone-faced as he held out two phasers from behind his back, offering them to the girls. Tenja’s eyes went wide. They took the weapons, but stayed close to his back to hide them, M’Ress silently helping Tenja prime her unfamiliar weapon.

Feeling the weight of the weapons gone, Noon lazily held out his arms in a wide gesture, hopefully giving the guards a false sense of safety.

The Grand Owner looked down at the pad, then back at Noon, then down at the pad again before glaring. “It appears I have been lied to,” he snarled.

“Lied to?” Noon said with shock. “And who would do such a thing?”

“ _You_.”

Noon poked himself in the chest. “Me?”

“Yes, _you!_ According to facial scans my man performed, you are not Lord Gene Waller of the Chainsan Coalition… you are Commander Atticus Noon. Of _Starfleet_.”

Noon looked absolutely incredulous, shooting confused looks and scoffing at both M’Ress and Tenja. He shook his head and dramatically placed his hands on his hips.

“Excuse you, SIR!” he spat, “But if I were this ‘Commander Noon’ of ‘Starfleet,’ as you so claim, I would have some sort of daring escape planned if I ever got caught!”

“I imagine you do,” the Grand Owner sneered as he began to pull out a weapon. “But there shall be no escape for you or your little _pets_.”

Noon held up a single finger in protest.

“Pardon me, but I’m afraid there’s one fatal factual error with what you just said, my dear Grand Owner.”

“And what would that be?”

“They’re not my pets. They’re my _bodyguards_.”

And just as weapons were about to be leveled at them, M’Ress grabbed the back of Noon’s shirt and tossed him behind a pillar, firing off a barrage of phaser blasts alongside Tenja, the two women each ducking behind their own pillars. Blasts rang out as everyone else ducked for cover or dodged exploding debris.

Noon quickly got his back against the pillar and pulled out his communicator, opening it, clicking it twice, and then shutting it again. He had only brought two phasers with him, not knowing they’d be picking up a guest. Noon had gambled, handing one of the weapons to Tenja, but he was glad to see his gamble pay off as she scored a hit on a guard and he screamed, falling over dead. Now all he had to do was keep his head down, not die, and wait for the plan to go into motion. But he had nothing to worry about.

The signal had been sent out.

The small device he had left back between the couch cushions began to work its magic. The friends he had made on the outside were an underground anti-slavery faction plotting the downfall of this accursed place for years now. But they had no way in until they came in contact with Noon, who had recently managed to acquire enough ill-gotten funds to pose as a wealthy guest and get a small device inside the building that would deactivate the facility’s power and shut down all slave-pacification devices.

It was only a few moments after Noon sent out the signal that the lights all shut off and the distant whir of machinery all went quiet. He smiled to himself and motioned to his companions.

“Let’s move!” he shouted. M’Ress began to let off covering fire as the three backed up towards the entrance and ran out of the building, ducking out of the way of returning fire.

“Where are we going!?” M’Ress shouted, twisting around to fire off a few blind shots.

“The edge of the city!” Noon yelled back. “I have a shuttle out there!”

“How did you survive the crash!? The shuttlecraft was severed in half and you were in the rear! I thought you died!”

“I was, technically! For about ten seconds before a small village’s medicine woman revived me!”

“You stupid, dumb, pathetic, low-born, foolish human moron!” M’Ress shouted, as the three made it to the bottom of the steps and ran into a nearby alley. M’Ress then harshly grabbed Noon and shoved him against the alley wall, pinning him there and kissing him with powerful urgency.

“I missed you too, Lieutenant,” he smirked, kissing her back.

Tenja loudly rolled her eyes at them. “Excuse me!” She motioned towards the palace.

M’Ress released Noon and he brushed himself off.

“Right, sorry,” she said. “Would you like to show us this shuttle of yours, Commander?”

“I’d be delighted to, follow me,” he responded and began leading the group out of the city.

“You Federation officers are very friendly with each other,” Tenja said.

Noon kept his back to the shadows and jogged from alley to alley, moving away from the shouts as the palace. “You don’t kiss your superiors as you’re fleeing from a group of heavily-armed guards on Bajor?” he asked, breathing heavy.

“Not usually, no,” Tenja said. “Seriously, I appreciate you helping me, but we’re never going to be able to leave. There’s too many of them and they’ll have the entire city on lockdown!”

Noon turned his head and met her gaze. She found his eyes full of mischief.

“Don’t be so sure,” he reassured. “In fact, if you listen closely, you just might hear the sound of the tides turning…” Tenja did listen close. She heard nothing… but then off in the distance, she could hear additional weapons fire and shouts from different parts of the city. She looked incredulously at the two.

“Starfleet?” she asked.

“No, no,” Noon corrected, “Just some freelance anti-slaver friends. They needed me to get into the palace and shut off the lights. Also, to drop off the bomb.”

“What bo—” was all Tenja managed to say before an explosion caused the ground to shake and she saw a fireball erupt from the direction of the palace.

“ _That_ bomb,” Noon said.

“When did you plant a bomb?” M’Ress asked, somewhat impressed.

“The little gadget I left in the couch? It was also a bomb. It sends out an EMP burst and then overloads.” Tenja nodded in approval.

“Clever. We could use some of you Starfleet officers on Bajor. You’d give our greatest philosophers some interesting new perspectives to contemplate.”

“Maybe someday,” M’Ress said with a little hope in her voice. “Until then, we’ll have to settle for getting you a shuttle and sending you back home.”

Tenja stopped in her tracks. “About that…” Noon and M’Ress stopped and turned to face the Bajoran woman. “I can’t leave.”

“Tenja…” M’Ress said, “Don’t you want to go back home?”

“Of course I do!” she snapped. “But… what kind of person would I be if I left now? I just can’t just turn my back on this suffering!”

Noon saw that despite her eyes still holding that deep, broken sadness, there was a storm of furious power building alongside it. If Tenja was any indication of her species as a whole, Noon pitied whoever would try to bend the Bajorans to their will.

“Tenja,” M’Ress reasoned, “We can call in for Starfleet help as soon as we make contact! We can have ships here in a matter of hours!”

Tenja nodded. “Then do that. I have to stay here and help.” She glanced down the street and saw armed insurgents rushing towards a place she knew to be heavy with the presence of the Grand Owner’s forces. “I have to go now.” She reached out and pulled M’Ress into a half-hug. “I may have saved your life that night… but you saved mine just now.” M’Ress hugged her back tightly until Tenja began making awkward gasping noises. “Just…” the Bajoran coughed, “Just be sure to send your Federation to lend us aid.”

“I will see you again, my friend,” M’Ress said with steel in her voice. “I promise.”

“I believe that,” Tenja said kindly. Then she turned to face Noon. “You make for a convincing scoundrel, Commander. Acting appears to be one of your string suites.”

Noon shrugged. “Well, I did learn from the best.”

And with that, Tenja handed the phaser back to Noon and ran off to join the insurgents.

“She saved your life?” Noon asked as the two began to make their way through the buildings again.

“Yes, the first night I was picked up,” M’Ress explained. “The jailer was going to whip me to death, but she stepped in and made an argument for my life.”

“Sounds like you’ve had an interesting couple of weeks,” Noon said.

Interesting was putting it _mildly_ , M’Ress thought. That entire time, her heart ached, believing Noon had been dead. But she couldn’t admit that to him. She could barely admit it to herself, that her affection for him was possibly growing into something… stronger. She instead decided to focus on the relief she felt being with him once again.

Noon continued, “We’ll compare notes later… although…” He stopped and removed his cloak, handing it to M’Ress. “You should probably cover up now.”

“Yes, thank you,” she said, draping the cloak over herself. “I was beginning to feel ridiculous.”

“I thought you looked lovely,” Noon said encouragingly.

“Nice try,” M’Ress scolded. “But I’m incinerating this thing the first chance I get.”

“That’s a shame,” Noon said, more disappointed than he cared to admit. “But fair. Now let’s move.”

The two continued their slow progress back to the shuttle.

* * *

“So you had no fear of ME being dead?” M’Ress asked as the shuttle broke orbit and entered warp.

“You did have the front half of the ship. Why would I be worried?” Noon said in return, putting in the final touches on their route back to the _Hood_.

“I could’ve still crashed, misjudged my landing, and wound up plummeting into a rock wall.”

“That doesn’t sound like something you’d do,” Noon said, smiling at her out of the corner of his mouth.

“So, then, should I not have worried about you because crashing into a rock wall doesn’t sound like something you would do?” M’Ress proposed.

“Not at all. You had every right to believe I had died. I was in the back half of the shuttle. I wasn’t flying anywhere in that except towards my death. Which… actually did happen. Hmm.” Noon thought about that for a moment, attempting to fully grasp the depth of that fact before getting a chill down his spine and pushing that thought away.

“I for one am pleased it didn’t stick, _mrrrowr_ ,” M’Ress assured him. “As did my brief tenure as a slave.”

“How long did you manage to avoid capture after those slavers blasted our ship apart?”

“A week or so. The terrain offered a lot of cover, but not a whole lot of food. I was caught sneaking into one of their camps, trying to steal supplies.” She went quiet after that. Noon reached over to rub her shoulder reassuringly.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he told her. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.” She placed a paw on his hand and gripped it, thankful for his kindness.

“It was a degrading experience, but… I’m sure it will fade in time. With the right help…”

She leaned over and nuzzled his cheek, purring softly, warming his face with the silky heat of her fur. She pulled back and gave him a quick smile before returning to pay attention to her console.

“It should be a few hours before reaching the rendezvous with the _Hood_. You think they’ll be there?”

Noon shrugged. “Maybe. We never checked in with the outpost we were supposed to survey, so it’s possible they know we’ve been missing. We weren’t supposed to be there for another week though. That’s the tricky part.”

“Hopefully they’ll be there. Otherwise we could be stuck waiting for a while.”

“We’ll need to do something to pass the time,” Noon said absently.

“Is that your idea of a sexual proposition?” M’Ress asked with a hint of amusement.

“What!?” Noon said quickly. “No, I wasn’t… we just barely escaped death and slavery, I wasn’t even thinking about—” M’Ress laughed at him and gently patted his leg.

“It’s alright, Commander. I know what you meant and _didn’t mean_. I wasn’t really considering it either. My heat has long since ended.”

“That’s right,” Noon said, musing on the subject. It had been a little over a month since they began their relationship, before this mission had gone wayward. Now it was creeping towards two months.

“I hadn’t even thought about that. I just got used to you _pouncing_ on me. But I suppose since you haven’t been in heat, my services won’t be required?”

“You don’t get out of this that easily,” M’Ress corrected. “The heat comes once every few months and I’ll be needing you _every single time_. Which will be soon. _Mroowwrrr_.”

“But not now?”

“No, not now. I think I’d rather just enjoy your company for the time being.”

“That’s fair,” Noon said, a more disgusting part of himself being a little disappointed, but he quickly banished that part away. “So. Passing the time. Know any games?”

“Yes!” M’Ress exclaimed. “On long trips through the countryside on Ferasa, my sister and I would play a game in which one of us thought of a person and the other had to guess who that was by asking a series of questions!”

“We have an identical game on Earth,” Noon said.

“And if you guessed wrong, the other player could pull on your tail as hard as they wanted!”

“We… don’t have that part on Earth. And I don’t really have a tail for you to pull on.”

“Well…” M’Ress said with amusement eyeing his waistline.

“No!” Noon said sternly. “That’s a delicate area, you’re not pulling anything down there.”

“Fine. I suppose we can just skip that part. Now… I’m thinking of a person.”

The two played that and a few other conversation games for the next few hours until they came into distance of the rendezvous.

“Is it my console?” M’Ress asked.

“Nope,” Noon responded.

“Is it your console?”

“Nope.”

“Is it the bulkhead?”

“Nope.”

“Is it my cloak!?” M’Ress said, starting to get annoyed.

“Nope.”

She threw up her hands in exasperation. “‘I-Spy’ is a stupid game! What sort of hint is _grey!?_ Everything on this blasted shuttle is grey!”

“If you don’t like it, just give up,” Noon suggested coolly.

M’Ress jumped into his face and stuck a furry finger against his nose, her eyes erupting with determination.

“ _NEVER_.”

Just then the shuttle’s proximity alert went off.

“Detecting a ship,” Noon said, flipping a few switches to slow their trajectory. “Dropping us out of warp, it’s probably the _Hood_.”

“This isn’t over!” M’Ress said firmly. “I will find whatever it was you spied with your little eye!”

“I know you will, Lieutenant.” Noon guided the ship along the curvature of the planet until a Constituion-Class starship came into view.

The _Hood_.

Noon smiled. “Isn’t she beautiful?’

“Yes she is,” M’Ress agreed. “Opening a hailing channel. Getting a response, putting it on now.”

“Unknown shuttlecraft, this is Captain Kenneth Dodge of the USS Hood, please identify yourselves _now_.”

“USS _Hood_ , this is Commander Atticus Noon and Lieutenant Shiboline M’Ress, requesting permission to come aboard.”

“Where the hell have you two been!?” Dodge snapped. “When you didn’t show up at the outpost they called us and we’ve been running around looking for you, ended up waiting here, hoping you’d show yourselves! So what the hell happened!”

“That’s… a bit of a long story, sir. We’ll have to fill you in when we’re onboard.”

“It better be a damn good story, Commander. Dodge out.”

Noon and M’Ress shared a knowing glance before pulling into the docking bay.

* * *

Debriefing took place after both had changed out of their clothes and back into uniforms, M’Ress’s outfit getting a few confused looks along the way. When the two mentioned the slaver stronghold, Dodge had them immediately plot a course towards that planet.

Arriving a few hours later, they contacted the insurgents and Tenja. They had managed to claim the palace but were having trouble holding it. With the _Hood’s_ assistance, that was all they needed to shut down the operation permanently.

They couldn’t transport the former slaves to a Federation help center, but additional rescue and aid vessels would be arriving in two days. Until then, Dodge volunteered to keep the _Hood_ in orbit until then and keep support personnel on the ground just to make sure the tide did not turn against the newly liberated population.

M’Ress reunited with Tenja when the _Hood_ began beaming relief supplies down below. The two were able to spend an afternoon together, talking and patrolling the liberated settlement built around the palace. Noon decided to stay on board and catch up with his duties. He also declined to spend much time on the planet, wanting to give the women space to themselves.

Soon the time to depart came with the arrival of the Starfleet aid ships. M’Ress and Tenja made their farewells, M’Ress even promising to visit Bajor despite how difficult that would be considering the Cardassians’ growing sphere of influence in that sector.

The _Hood_ departed the system, and everyone got back on their usual routine.

The end of Noon’s workday following the departure from the former slave world brought nothing of any particular note. It was a calm return to form as he lazily walked back to his quarters. Then his communicator beeped. Noon sighed and flipped it open.

“This is Noon, go ahead.”

“Commander,” it was M’Ress. “Could you come to my quarters? Tenja left you a parting gift and I didn’t have the opportunity to give it to you before.”

Noon briefly suspected this might be a set-up for an _intimate_ meeting, but M’Ress had invited him to her quarters several times in the past without anything sexual in nature arising. So who could say what this gift may be.

“I’ll be right there, Lieutenant. Noon out.”

He closed his communicator, turned around, and headed for M’Ress’s quarters. It didn’t take him long. All senior officer quarters were in the same general area of the ship. He signaled the bell and waited for a reply, but none came. Instead, the doors opened without a word. The room was pitch black.

“Lieutenant?” Noon asked as he walked in, trying not to trip on anything. “Lieutenant, where are you?”

The lights came on.

In the sleeping nook off to the side of the room, M’Ress sat upon her bed. Wearing a blood-red dancing girl outfit made from velvety silks, elegant metals, a heavy metal collar around her neck, chains crisscrossing her body, and very little else. Noon was surprised, to say the least.

“I… thought you said you were incinerating that,” he said, gulping loudly.

“I did,” M’Ress confirmed. “This another one that Tenja helped me pick out.” She stretched high into the air, showing off her exposed midriff and the way the garment hugged the curve of her breasts. “Do you like it?”

Noon was somewhat at a loss for words, especially words expressing his opinion. He swallowed hard.

“I thought you said wearing something like that was degrading,” he said.

“It is. When I am forced to wear it. I _choose_ to wear this. And I’m rather fond of it… _mrrrrr_ …” She bent backwards and turned herself around, getting up on all fours and playfully shaking her rear. The outfit left little to the imagination. “I think red is definitely my color. Do you agree?”

“I… most certainly approve of the color. Yes,” Noon said, being drawn in by the hypnotic swing of her tail as it rolled with the delicate movement of her hips.

“Good.” She turned around to face him and sat upon her knees, rolling her hips. “Now take a seat. The show is about to begin~” Noon almost tripped getting himself to a chair as M’Ress sauntered off her bed and stood. She activated a music player on her monitor and began to move to the sound. She held her back against the half-wall divider and ground herself against it before swinging off and belly dancing towards where Noon sat.

“I didn’t think you were going to actually dance, M’Ress,” Noon said, welcoming to surprise.

“As I said before… I shall only dance for you~” she said with a wink before leaning against him. She ran hew paws up and down his chest before straddling him and draping her arms over his shoulders. “Although, this one will be much shorter. Do you mind?” She whispered the last part as she drew her mouth closer to his.

“Not at all,” he replied and met her for a kiss.

“Good…” she whispered into his ear. “ _Prrrrrrwwwrrrr_ … I would hate for _Master_ to disprove of my actions.”

Noon was momentarily flustered by her playful demeanor, but quickly caught on, smirking and gripping her hindquarters more possessively.

“I would never dream to disapprove of anything you did, _my pet_ ,” he said, forcing her hips to grind against the hardening member held within his pants.

“Then I suppose you wouldn’t mind this~”

M’Ress reached a paw down between them, undoing his trousers and releasing his throbbing shaft to the warm air. She then began to grind herself into him more earnestly, only the thin veil of silk hugging her nethers keeping them from being together. Noon was getting antsy and he expressed his unrested nerve by lightly spanking M’Ress, eliciting a gasp of surprise from the Caitian.

“If you do not stop teasing me, my pet, I shall have to punish you,” he promised in the darkest tone he could muster.

“Oh my…” M’Ress said with guilt. “I’m so sorry! Please, allow me to make it up to _Master_.”

She then maneuvered the veil around her crotch to the side, allowing his cock to finally make contact, sliding up and down her ever-watering lips.

“There’s a good Kitten,” Noon groaned, titling his head back and getting lost in the pleasure.

M’Ress giggled and leaned up, sliding herself to the tip of his cock before plunging downward, moaning in rapturous contentment. She held herself like that for a moment, wiggling her hips in excitement over future prospects. She smiled with wicked intent.

“Please, Master, allow me to take control of your pleasure…” she said, planting her feet firmly on the ground and locking her claws into place on the back of his chair.

“W-wait,” Noon said quickly, not quite understanding her meaning, “M’Ress, what are yo-OOOOOOHHH GOOD LORD!”

M’Ress began to jackhammer her hips atop his, forcing him in and out in strong, powerful thrusts. The loud slap of pelvis hitting pelvis rang out in M’Ress’s quarters as she began to groan out in effort, her eyes fiercely shut in deep concentration.

“Sh-Should I s-stop M-Master’s special treatment?” she asked through her attempts to stave off an orgasm in order to stay focused on her goal. The pleasure was beyond compare and it took every ounce of her willpower to not cum each time she hilted herself upon the Commander.

“Don’t you dare!” Noon yelped as he tried to hold on tight to her body, failing to keep up with her sudden use of extreme force.

M’Ress began to drool as her own bliss overtook her, her mouth breaking out in a wild grin as a deep flush spread across her furred face.

She slowed down and began to roll her rips into his, kissing his face and neck, licking his lips and exposed skin.

“M’Ress…!” Noon begged. “You’re killing me!”

She gave him a predatory stare before licking her chops and resuming her powerful motions upon his cock.

But that proved to be even too much for M’Ress as she quickly became overwhelmed by her own attempts and moaned out, grasping the back of Noon’s head tightly and slowing as her orgasm neared.

“I think I overdid it,” she breathed out. “I’m… I’m going to…”

“Do it,” Noon commanded, trying to regain a grasp of control over the situation. “Come on, Kitten. Show me how much you want this.”

“Oh, gods, I do!” she howled, slamming her hips down again and again. “I want it so much!”

Noon raised his hand gave her a hard spank to the ass.

M’Ress cried out in pain as the feeling sent her over the edge, cumming in violent shakes.

Noon laughed and grabbed her hips, moving her in the just the right way to bring about his own orgasm. It only took a few strokes before he held her down and released his seed into her waiting depths.

They sat there for a moment, relishing in post-orgasmic bliss. Noon continued to gently caress M’Ress’s butt through the fabric of her dancing outfit. Out of pure mentally-drained instinct, he brought his mouth to her neck and nipped at it lightly. She shuddered on top of him and if he wasn’t absolutely certain she had just came, he would have thought she did it again.

“Damn…” he swore. “That good, huh?”

“That… was the first time you bit me…” M’Ress said, a little in awe.

“I figured I owed you…”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s just… that is what male Caitians always do.”

“Oh. Should I stop?” he asked.

She leaned up and nipped his ear, whispering softly, “I want you to bite me harder next time, Human…”

Noon chuckled and gave her rear another light pat.

“Remind me to thank Tenja for the gift,” he said. M’Ress pulled back to meet his gaze and looked at him puzzled.

“Gift? That was not Tenja’s gift,” she said.

“I thought the whole… dancing girl thing _was_ the gift.” M’Ress smile with mischief and pulled away from him, slipping his member from her depths, spilling out some loose seed.

“No, _this_ was her gift to _me_ ,” M’Ress clarified, standing tall and walked over to her closet. She reached and started to pull something out. “ _This_ was her gift to _you_.”

It was another dancing outfit. This was clearly meant for a male.

Noon shot her a look that she met with puppy-dog eyes and a quivering bottom lip.

“…I can’t dance.” It was the best argument that Noon could think of, under the circumstances.

“I’ll teach you!” M’Ress exclaimed, bouncing slightly at the idea.

“I thought you liked your men… masculine and powerful.”

M’Ress placed a hand on her hip as she tilted it with just a bit of attitude.

“And yet… here _you_ are.”

Noon thought about saying something, but then reconsidered.

“…I kinda walked into that one, didn’t I?”

“Yes,” she agreed with a purr. “You did. But seriously, did you believe you had any actual power in what just transpired?”

“I thought I did?”

M’Ress scoffed.

“Please! You were clay in my paws, Commander. Perfectly molded to suit my needs.”

“You didn’t have to work _that_ hard,” he said.

“True. But I would still like to see you were this. For my own amusement, if nothing else.”

“No…” he said, standing and stretching his back, “I’ll be your sexy dancing boy. If that’s what my lady desires.”

“Really!?” M’Ress said, a little surprised it was that easy to make him agree.

“Sure,” he said, fixing his pants, “My oldest sister always told me I should try everything at least once.”

M’Ress cocked her head to the side.

“Sister?” she asked. “You’ve never spoken about your family.”

“You hadn’t either,” he pointed out, “Not _specifically_ , anyway, until earlier when you mentioned _your_ sister.”

“And you have a sister as well?” she asked.

“Three of them,” he held up three fingers to emphasize that. “All older.” He sat himself down on the bed and rubbed a hand over his face. “My, uhh… dad died before I was born. He was in Starfleet too; his ship was destroyed by Romulans. And my mother died when I was only two, so I never got to know her either. My eldest sister stepped up and raised me, she’s about sixteen years older. I was kind of a late-game surprise for my folks.” He laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “My sisters are really the only family I ever cared to know. I have an uncle, I think. Some grandparents, but I never really cared for them.”

He realized she was staring at him, speechless. He propped himself up and laughed awkwardly.

“Sorry,” he said. “I guess I kinda killed the mood.”

“No,” M’Ress said, finding her voice, “It’s fine. I’m glad you shared that with me. I just… can I say something that might make you hate me?”

“Nothing you could say could ever make me hate you,” he assured you. “But go ahead, give it your best shot.”

“I just find that extraordinarily sad,” she said flatly. “I’m very sorry for that and I’m trying not to feel that way, but it’s hard for me to break from what I have been taught.”

He looked at her, confused.

“Why would I hate you for thinking that was sad? It _is_ sad.”

“No, you misunderstand, I meant… I meant sad, as in… _pathetic_.”

Noon blinked at her.

“Oh,” was all he could say. He didn’t hate her for it, certainly. He did find it surprisingly cold-hearted coming from her. M’Ress raised her hands in assurance as she took a seat on the bed next to him.

“As I said, I’m trying not to feel that way. But I want to be completely honest with how I feel and that is my immediate reaction.”

“Why?” he asked. He felt it was a fair question.

“In my culture, the larger your clan is and the stronger your family bonds, the more powerful you are seen. The higher a place in society you have.”

“Your class system is based on how large your families are?”

“There’s a little more that goes into it than that. How well your family forms connections with other clans, how much they offer to the Federation, what they provide to the community, their artistic achievements… but, yes. Basically, the larger your clan is, the more respect you garner.”

M’Ress looked down in shame. “And we are conditioned to look down upon smaller clans.”

Noon nodded, understanding.

“I get it,” he said, rubbing her head and scratching behind her ear, letting her know there were no hard feelings. “So if I showed up with my _three_ sisters, their bundle of kids, my uncle I don’t know, and my grandparents I never talk to, I’d get laughed off the planet?”

M’Ress leaned into his affection, glad she hadn’t damaged their relationship.

“No. You have rank in Starfleet, so they would show you an amount of respect. But if you weren’t, more likely they’d shun you, or laugh at you behind your back, or allow their children to throw things at you.”

“Oh, how kind of them.”

“Not that there is no way for smaller clans to gain in influence or respect!” she said suddenly. “Going through the Ritual of Celadon with a member of another clan is the most direct way. There is also the Gauntlet of K’Roy, gaining high rank in Starfleet, donating a major artistic achievement to a museum or library…”

“Alright, aright, relax. You’re fine.” Noon said and scratched a spot behind her ear he knew she liked. She leaned into his hand before slowly lowering her head and resting it in his lap, purring loudly. “So how big is _your_ clan?”

“Clan Shiboline is one of the largest and most renowned,” she said. “I have a sister, two brothers, my mother, my sire, many—”

“Sire?” Noon asked.

“My _father_ ,” M’Ress clarified. “Also many nieces, nephews, several uncles and aunts, grandparents, great grandparents, cousins, second cousins, third cousins…”

“Well, well, well. Look at you, slumming it with the low-born small-clan human.”

“Oh, stop. As I said, small clans can gain respect through Starfleet rank and being a Commander would give you _some_ notice. Having the rank of Commander demonstrates you have commitment towards bettering yourself and your clan’s standing. You would not actually be considered of higher class until you made Admiral, however.”

“Well I better get on that,” Noon said with amusement. “Although… you mentioned it earlier, but your _clan_ name is Shiboline? Shouldn’t I be calling you Lieutenant Shiboline?”

“No, you’ve been saying it correctly,” she explained. “You would only use my clan name for introductions or if you were identifying me specifically by clan. Calling me _Shiboline_ casually would be presumptuous. After all, _I_ am not my clan. I am M’Ress.”

“But you represent your clan,” Non pointed out.

“True, but I am not the total embodiment of my clan. That would be as if I called you by the place where you are from all the time.”

“I see,” he said. “So, I could call you _my pretty Shiboline Kitten_ and that would be grammatically correct?”

She giggled. “Yes, you could.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Were you ever confused by how a lot of Humans and other species organize their names?”

She shook her head. “Not really. We are taught from a young age how other cultures structure their names, and how that’s very nice for them. A few friends back in the Academy tried to call me Shiboline casually, not knowing about my culture, but they changed after I corrected them.”

“You know, you could call me Commander Atticus. If that would make you feel more comfortable,” he offered.

“No thank you. I’ve actually gotten into the habit of referring to my fellow officers by rank only or by their given name in casual passing.”

“…Huh.” Noon thought back and he realized what she said was true. “You _have_ never called me by either of my names, have you?”

M’Ress shook her head. “Never to your face. I have referred to you as ‘Commander Noon’ to others, but since your clan name comes where my given name is, it doesn’t feel as presumptuous as it should.”

“…Call me Atticus,” he said.

She laughed. “What?”

“Do it. Call me Atticus.”

M’Ress rolled her eyes and sat up to look him in the eye.

“You are a very foolish human, _Atticus_ ,” she smirked and booped his nose. She laid back down in his lap to continue the scratchies.

“In fact,” Noon went on, “Feel free to call me Atticus any time we’re together like this.”

“I think I’d still prefer to call you Commander. I like to remind you of your authority. But I shall do my best to meet your request. At my leisure… _rrrrrrrowwrrr_ …” she purred.

Noon shrugged and laughed.

“Well, I suppose that’ll have to do, Lieutenant,” he said.

The two continued to relax together, long into the deep night of space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And we're back! Sorry about that long wait, but you know. Life gets in the way in the fun stuff. Hopefully I can stick to a more faithful release schedule for the rest of the story. 
> 
> Side note for this chapter, I really don't know the exact history of when Bajorans and Cardassians became more widely involved in galactic politics and when that conflict between them started. All I know is I really, really love Deep Space Nine (it's my favorite of the shows) and I wanted to include a Bajoran character in some way. So I bent the canon a bit. But hey this technically takes place in the Alternate Reality, so whatever. 
> 
> Also the final design of M'Ress's personal dancer's outfit was inspired by this delightful number from Yang on FurAffinity:
> 
> https://www.furaffinity.net/view/36816190/
> 
> And finally...
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> "M’Ressbehavior"
> 
> M'Ress gets playful during a meeting with the admiralty.


	10. M'Ressbehavior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M'Ress gets playful during a meeting with the admiralty.

M’Ress shifted uncomfortably in her full-dress uniform. Mostly her legs, which were restricted in a pair of dress boots that cut tightly into the bends and curves of her cat-like digitigrade legs. They were designed specifically in mind for that quirk of her species, but that did not make the boots any less uncomfortable. If any of her fellow officers were as uncomfortable as she was, they did not show it.

She glanced briefly at Noon, hoping to catch his eye, in hopes that maybe she could get someone to empathize with how terrible these boots were making her feel. Sadly, he was dead focused on the task, awaiting the delegates to arrive with the stoic fortitude of any good First Officer.

When M’Ress had been informed that the senior crew of the USS _Hood_ was going to sit-in on a First Contact meeting, she was genuinely thrilled. They had come across a scout ship from the warp-capable species only a week ago, but they were now going to meet with two admirals, the captain, and the senior crew. Apparently, this species had already colonized and terraformed the thirteen worlds of their home system. This feat had naturally caught Starfleet’s attention, necessitating a formal diplomatic meeting in order to fast-track entrance into the Federation. M’Ress had been caught up in the excitement and possibility of the situation.

And then she had been informed of the new culture’s attitude regarding footwear.

Going bare-footed in social settings was considered highly inappropriate, even offensive. M’Ress had considered siting it out, but the Captain pushed her to be there as a senior member of the crew. She had grumbled a little, but relented, figuring a little discomfort was worth the chance to sit-in on an official First Contact diplomatic meeting.

When she had put on the boots, she remembered quickly why she never wore them.

And now here she stood, fidgeting and fighting the discomfort for the sake of living up to the Starfleet standard. She hated it. The boots had ruined the entire thing. Now all she felt was grumpy, annoyed, and even… _bored_. An absolute disaster. But it could not be helped. She had to stick it through to the end. A commitment was a commitment.

The biggest point of frustration, other than the boots, obviously, was how Noon seemed to neither notice nor care about her situation. M’Ress understood and would not hold it against him permanently, but that annoyance was the only thing keeping her charged so she held onto it for the time being. Captain Dodge and the Admiral were speaking to each other, trading pre-negotiation banter.

_None of it matters. Nothing matters. My aching feet matter! These stupid boots matter—_

No. She had to control her thoughts and not get caught up in her own petty frustrations. But she could not help it. Not able to keep her peace any longer, M’Ress gave an almost inaudible groan of frustration. Noon’s concentration was broken, and he glanced at M’Ress, now noticing the way she was almost shaking and her eye twitched with clear discomfort.

Noon reached over and gently touched her forearm. His touch calmed her somewhat. Now she had an ally in her fight, at least.

He leaned over slightly and whispered softly, “You’re doing great.” He moved his hand over hers and interlocked a single finger with her thumb and squeezed, trying to comfort her.

M’Ress released some tension through a breath and squeezed back, also using her tail to brush him in appreciation.

“Sir, I’m receiving a signal. The delegates are ready to beam up,” the transporter chief called out.

Noon and M’Ress quickly let go of each and got into position. It was show time.

“Very good. Energize when ready,” Admiral McLeod said.

The musical hum of the transporter beam rang out and the three delegates of the Anzaru appeared on the transporter pad. They looked almost Vulcan, if not for the double-point on their ears, horizontal cheek flaps, and distinctly round-ish features as opposed to the sharpness of Vulcan faces.

Greetings and introductions were made, hands were shook, salutes given, and then it was on to the meeting room to discuss terms. Every member of the senior crew was there in the transporter room, but only the Anzaru diplomats, Admiral McLeod, Captain Dodge, Commander Noon, Lieutenant M’Ress, and Lieutenant Novo were present in the meeting. M’Ress, as communications officer, helped facilitate first communications so the delegates insisted that she be present. But McLeod wanted her and Novo there anyway to help sell them on the Federation being an organization of inter-species cooperation.

The delegates sat on one side of the table, while the Starfleet officers took the other. McLeod took the far end, followed by Dodge to his right, then Novo, M’Ress, and Noon.

“I’m glad we’re finally able to have this talk as equals,” McLeod said cheerfully.

“Yes,” one of the delegates agreed, “Your hospitality has been gracious. And it is good to see your words of inter-species cooperation were not exaggerated.” He nodded towards M’Ress and Novo. “Tell me, how have your species learned to acclimate to living under the Human Federation?”

Novo cocked an eyebrow.

“You seem to misunderstand the nature of the Federation,” she said. “Humanity was a founding member, as well as playing a large and central role in the Federation, but so do my people: the Vulcans. As do countless others. It is a United Federation of dozens of worlds and does not belong to any _one_ of them.”

The delegate seemed puzzled. “But as we walked through your halls, there appeared to be an over-abundance of Human workers and crewmen compared to other species.”

“You are correct,” Novo agreed. “One of the central characteristics of Humans in regard to their role in the Federation is their larger presence in Starfleet compared to most other races.”

“That’s right,” Dodge interjected. “Back in the day, Humanity spearheaded the joint-space exploration programs that would eventually shape into the Federation’s Starfleet. So we just have more people present is all.”

“But,” continued McLeod, “we’re talking about only a _somewhat_ larger percentage of Humans present in Starfleet. Most vessels do have at least one Human on board, but there are also many starships that don’t have a single Human present. We also host Starfleet Headquarters and one of the central Academies on Earth, our homeworld. So that does play a factor.”

“Intriguing,” the delegate said. “Where do Vulcans mostly find themselves within the Federation’s structure?”

“Sciences and politics. As well as being almost as common in Starfleet,” Novo explained.

“I see,” a different delegate said, scratching his beard. “And you… Lieutenant M’Ress, was it?”

M’Ress had been fading in and out of the conversation, trying to get legs in a comfortable position, but at the mention of her name she refocused on the delegate speaking to her.

“That, er, is correct, yes,” she said.

“Your species is quite different from Human and Vulcans and even our own. What role do they play in the Federation?”

She had prepared for this. Sitting up taller, M’Ress said, “Whatever is asked of us. _Rrrowwwrr_. That’s the beauty of the Federation. Once you attain membership, your race can have as much or as little to do with the overall government as they want. Every world provides and supports one another, but you will never be asked to give more than what you are willing to put in. My people are fiercely loyal to the Federation and we often find ourselves scattered to every corner of Federation space doing whatever we can. A large chunk of us serve in Starfleet as our unbreaking loyalty and expert communication skills fit nicely in Starfleet’s structure. There’s also a large chunk serving in the dilithium crystal mines located on an asteroid belt in our home system. But we are welcome everywhere. As would all of you if you join us. _Mmmrrrrowrr_.”

“Well said, Lieutenant,” McLeod said. “And what would most of your people be most comfortable?”

“We have large industries,” the delegate said. “Processing raw materials and large-scale construction dominates most of our economy.”

“It is important to note,” Noon said, “that in the Federation, in time, you would have no need of any economy.”

“That’s right,” Dodge confirmed. “We mastered ways to allow for resource management, trading and cooperation that don’t require any form of money.”

“Intriguing,” one of the delegates said. “So must we deconstruct our economic system before joining? That would be a… massive undertaking.”

“Not necessarily,” McLeod said. “The requirements don’t specifically need you to deconstruct any sort of economic system, but they do stipulate social equality and that can best be accomplished through…”

M’Ress’s mind began to drift again. Her gaze wandered slightly, drifting sideways to catch sight of Noon. He held rapturous attention to the conversation. M’Ress smiled inwardly. She had always found his dedication to be commendable, but at this moment, it came across as _cute_ more than anything else.

As M’Ress admired him out of the corner of her eye, her mind wandered to those moments when the two of them were alone, when they held each other through the long warm nights. Her heat had begun to flare up again as of a few days ago, and those memories combined with her loosening emotions made her start to feel a little warm. And then her wandering mind captured an idea that she found to be too tempting to pass up.

Calmly, without drawing any attention, she shifted her arms, laying her left arm flat, bent at the elbow, in front of her across the table, while she lowered her right arm and placed it below the table on her leg. She drummed her fingers a few times, staying casual, before moving it over to Noon’s leg.

His eyes widened a fraction as he became aware of her hand on his thigh. He didn’t say anything or waver his gaze.

_What is she doing?_ he wondered. He glanced at her, but she gave no indication she was even aware her paw was on him.

He shook his leg a little, trying got get her to move, but she held on. And then she began to rub his thigh.

Noon shifted his own hand discreetly, moving it to get a firm grip on M’Ress’s paw and remove it. But as he tugged, she engaged her claws and dug them through the fabric of his pants and into his skin. Not enough to draw blood, but enough to know he leave her be. He pulled away, his eye twitching in slight recognition of pain.

Then M’Ress began to calmly rub him again. Her paw travelled further up his thigh. Noon attempted to pull her away again, but before he could even touch her, she popped her claws. He winced and placed his hands on the table, inter-twining his fingers and holding them there as still as he could.

He was stuck. He could not draw attention for fear of offending their guests. All he could do was remain as still as possible and hope M’Ress did not take her play too far.

When her paw began feeling up his crotch, he knew he was in trouble. She used the flat of her paw to stroke him through his pants, an erection steadily growing through contact and the adrenaline from the potential of being caught.

Noon looked at M’Ress to try and gauge what the hell had come over her, but her face revealed almost nothing. There was a slight blush to her features, but it would be imperceptible if you did not know to look for it.

Then her paw moved up and under his pants, making direct contact with his shaft. Noon inhaled deeply and let out the breath through his nose, remaining as deathly quiet as he could. M’Ress stroked him directly, moving her paw up and down his length in smooth, small motions as to not attract attention.

“You’d agree with that, wouldn’t you, Mr. Noon?” Admiral McLeod asked.

M’Ress stopped working his shaft as all eyes fell on the commander. They were waiting for a response; they had not noticed what was going on under the table.

“I would,” Noon started as M’Ress also picked the handjob back up, “…AGREE! With that assessment. Sir.”

“Good, good. There’s a unified whole in the Federation, gentlemen,” McLeod continued. “Especially in our fleet. What would you say our current fleet strength is at, Commander?”

Everyone looked to Noon again. Even M’Ress turned slightly and rested her chin on her hand, while continuing to politely stroke his member under the table.

“Well… Admiral. Our current fleet strength would be some-somewhere in the hundreds of vessels. Not…” Noon struggled as M’Ress became more caring and gentler with her strokes, “…NOT all of which are armed for ex-exploration and combat. There are many, MANY dif-different pur-purposes.”

“Are you feeling alright, Commander?” Dodge questioned.

“Yes, Commander,” M’Ress said obliviously. “You seem… distracted.”

“Not at all,” Noon said, trying his best not to glare at the Caitian. “I apologize. I’m just—” M’Ress started to massage his balls with the soft fur of her paw, “—sur—suppressing some… hiccups. Ex-excuse me.”

“Maybe you should get something refreshing to drink?” M’Ress offered.

“Nope,” Noon insisted. “I’m needed here, and I will be PER-perfectly! Perfectly f-fine.”

“If you insist,” Dodge said, shrugging. “Anyways, as the Commander was saying, we have numerous ships that perform all kinds of duties…”

M’Ress picked up the pace, slowly working him over. But as the minutes went by, he found that she wasn’t trying to get him to completion, it just… felt soothing. Noon became weirdly relaxed by the exercise. This disturbed him somewhat, but M’Ress’s soft contact soothed whatever nervous energy he had.

“I think what we need is a tour of the vessel, Admiral. If that would please you,” one of the delegates said.

“Of course!” McLeod said joyously. “I like that. You have to see what we have to offer. Words won’t do us much good.”

He stood along with Dodge, Novo, and the delegates to lead them out of the room. M’Ress quickly removed her paw from Noon’s pants, giving his cotch one last friendly rub before standing. Noon stood in due course, doing his best to hide his painfully erect member from the rest of the procession. He glared at M’Ress when everybody else was preoccupied, but she either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

_This cannot stand_ , he thought.

Dodge noticed him lagging behind and spoke up.

“You coming, Commander?” he asked.

“Actually, sir, I needed to speak with Miss M’Ress for a moment,” he said, catching M’Ress off-guard for a change. He walked over to the Captain, leaving M’Ress on the other side of the table. “I neglected to give her an assignment I needed done earlier and I’d like to do it now.”

Dodge squinted at him for a moment, but then shrugged.

“Alright, fair enough. I don’t think we’ll need you on the tour anyway. In fact, Miss Novo? Why don’t you head back to your station on the bridge. The admiral and I can handle the tour.”

“Yes, Captain,” Novo said and left the room to change into proper uniform and resume her duties.

“And as soon as you’re done here, you two head to the bridge as well,” Dodge said.

“Understood, sir,” Noon said. They bid the delegates farewell and the doors shut in Noon’s face. He locked them and let out a deeply held breath of air.

Slowly turning to look at M’Ress, he said, “What the hell did you think you were WHOA WHAT—” But that’s as far as he got.

As soon as he had begun turning, M’Ress had leapt onto the table and then jumped onto Noon. He managed to catch her, M’Ress’s legs wrapping around his waist and her paws entangling in his hair as she pushed her mouth against his. The momentum slammed him against the door, but he quickly recovered and pushed back, throwing her off him and against the table. M’Ress was completely flushed, she panted heavily and wiped drool from her mouth.

“What has gotten into you!?” Noon demanded.

“Hopefully you… _Rrrrrrowwwwtrrr_ …” M’Ress purred.

“Oh no. Your heat is back.”

“That’s right~” she said, licking her chops in anticipation. “So I’m going to need you. Right. Now.”

“No, absolutely not! It’s bad enough you almost ruined an important diplomatic meeting, I’m not going to further encourage this behavior by—” as Noon spoke, M’Ress flipped up the skirt on her uniform and turned around, shaking her rear in an enticing swaying motion.

“…by… by doing anything that w-would constitute a… a, uhh…” Noon was mumbling now. M’Ress giggled at him.

“You know,” M’Ress said, “These boots are horribly uncomfortable, but I hear high boots like these have an _enticing_ effect on human males. Well, Commander? Do you feel enticed?”

His eyes followed the jet-black boot up to where it ended on her thigh, framing her ass in all its glory.

“I admittedly do feel some enticement, but I’m not going to dignify—”

“I’m so warm, Commander,” she moaned out. “I, ahh, can’t stand it… _mrowww_ … I’m burning up… I need you…” she reached with her paws and pulled down her underwear, stretching out her legs. revealing her dripping lips.

Noon’s resolve broke. He undid his own pants and stepped over to M’Ress, covering her body with his own. The heat coming off of her was incredible. She moaned and bent her head back, attempting to kiss him, but he forced her head forward and pushed her torso flat onto the table. She pushed back, trying to dismount him, but he wasn’t about to let her take control this time.

No. It was his turn now. And he knew how to gain control.

Noon leaned down and seized the furred flesh on the back of M’Ress neck between his teeth, growling forcefully. M’Ress’s mind skipped and sputtered, unsure of how to react. He was a human, her human male Commander, but he was acting like a Caitian male, why was he acting like—

Noon tightened his hold and she stopped moving, whimpering slightly. He released her, gently kissing the spot he had bit before placing his head next to hers.

“You will remain _still_ ,” he commanded. “And I’ll give you what you want. Even though you don’t deserve it,” He bit her ear and leaned back up, keeping her torso pressed against the table.

“Y-yes, I do!” she said. “I’ve been _sooooo_ good to you…” Noon answered her outburst with a firm spank to her ass. She yelped and flinched.

“No,” Noon said coldly. “No, you don’t. You’ve been a naughty Kitten and naughty Kittens…”

He spanked her again. She moaned.

“…don’t…”

_Spank!_

“…get…”

_Spank_!

“…rewarded.”

_Spank!_

“Do you understand me, Lieutenant?”

“Y-yes,” M’Ress said through tears. Her ass stung now, but she continued to grow wetter under Noon’s hand.

“Good,” he said. “Now, I know what you want…”

He rubbed the length of his shaft up and down her lips. After only a few strokes, his cock was completely soaked in her juices. “You want to get fucked by a human. You want me to make you feel like you’re being bred by a superior species, huh?”

M’Ress held her tongue.

Noon spanked her again, eliciting another yelp from M’Ress.

“Admit it, Caitian!” he demanded. “Admit it or I leave this room and don’t look back.”

“Y-yes!” she exclaimed. “Please, I… ahhh! I want you so badly, Human, please! I beg you! Make me feel like your female!”

“Tough luck,” he snarled. “Like I said, you were _bad_. And bad Kittens don’t get what they want. No, they get punished…. And I know just how to do that…” Noon left her folds and brought the head of his dick between the cheeks of her ass.

M’Ress’s eye went wide as she attempted to push off the table.

“N-no, Commander, wait I—” Noon slammed her back down flat on the table, silencing her.

“Let me be very clear with you, Lieutenant,” he said. “What you just did during that meeting was crossing a _line_. You just took our relationship to the next level. And I intend to respond in kind…”

He slid his dick between the curve of her ass cheeks, gripping her tail as a makeshift handle. M’Ress shuddered under this newfound strength of his, this absolute dominating authority. She wanted whatever he was going to do to her, but she still had reservations.

“C-Commander,” M’Ress said softly,” I’ve never… I’ve never had _that_ done to me before…”

Noon could sense genuine tension in her voice, and he wasn’t so far gone as to lose his empathy. He slowly leaned down on top of her, gripping her paw tightly in his hand and shushing in her ear.

“Hey,” he whispered. “You’ll be fine.”

But she continued to give off nervous shakes. Noon sighed.

“If you want me to stop…” he started, but she gripped his hand tight in her paw and he could feel her steady herself.

“No,” she said firmly. “I can take whatever you think you can throw at me. _Human_.”

She said that last word like a curse. It was an attempt to boil his blood. And the attempt worked. Noon stopped rubbing himself between her cheeks and started to prod at her rear entrance.

“As you wish,” he said and rose back to his full height. “But if you can’t handle it and you want me to stop… just say ‘Atticus.’” M’Ress nodded. He gripped her hips tightly and pushed hard against the soft pucker of her anus.

M’Ress winced and came to terms with her situation. She was allowing him to take her in a place no Caitian had ever been. Sodomy was a major taboo on her world. A male was expected to take a female from behind in a way that ensured breeding. To use her ass for love-making was a violation of that. Feeling a human’s cock penetrate her bowels was a perversion. It was wrong, disgusting…

Noon slowly pushed deeper and entered her ass. M’Ress’s mind went blank as she screamed out in silent agony, the pain from having her asshole filled mixed with a deranged sort of perverted pleasure. She came in confused bliss, her nethers’ spray coating her legs. Noon held himself inside her for a moment.

The tightness he felt squeezing his shaft was unbelievable. He held on to her tail and placed his other hand on her back, keeping her held down.

Noon pulled back and thrust into her. M’Ress gave a low moan as her body leapt forward against the table. He thrust again, And again. Each time, M’Ress cried out in pain.

“Did that hurt?” he said.

“Y-yes,” she whimpered. He thrusted again, slapping his hips against the curve of her ass. M’Ress wailed and whimpered in protest.

“Do you want more?” Noon asked.

M’Ress bit her lip. A Human had claimed a part of her that no Caitian male had ever had. She had used her mouth on him before, but this was different. More intimate. More dominate.

“…Yes,” she replied, feeling a little ashamed.

Noon smirked. “Good Kitten.” And he began to pound into her relentlessly.

“Ah, ah, AH!” she moaned out. “Oh! OWW! Ah!”

As Noon continued his assault on her ass, her body was slowly being pushed up. She lost direct footing on the ground as her booted legs attempted to find solid ground, squirming and shaking.

Noon brought his hand down and spanked her hard while continuing to rail her ass with reckless abandon.

“Eee!” M’Ress squeaked in surprised pleasure.

“Say you’re sorry!” Noon commanded her.

“W-wha, I-AH!”

He smacked her ass again.

“Say you’re sorry!” he repeated.

“I’m sorry!” she exclaimed. Tears now flowed from M’Ress’s eyes as the painful sting on her ass became a warm throb.

“You better be!” he shouted, slapping her rear again with greater force. “Because I NEVER!”

He spanked her.

“WANT TO!”

_Spank!_

“HAVE TO TREAT YOU!”

_Spank!_

“LIKE THE SLUT YOU ARE!”

_Spank!_

“AGAIN!”

_Spank!_

M’Ress came hard as he spanked her a final time, her entire body shaking and spasming in pleasure.

“Do I make myself perfectly clear?” he said, practically sneering.

“…yes… hahhh…” M’Ress sobbed. “I’ll never go it again… hah… I promise.”

“Good,’ he said viciously and resumed his effort, slamming into her at full force.

The pure animosity and power of his effort had left M’Ress completely drained. She laid there and allowed Noon to ravage her sore body. She gave off little sobs and whimpers whenever he gave a particularly hard thrust, but she was otherwise silent.

Soon his motions began to grow erratic, signaling his end. Noon finally let go of her tail and placed both hands firmly on her ass, kneading it and slamming into his hips. He gave off one last snarl of dominance before hilting inside her bruised asshole and releasing himself.

M’Ress winced at the warm spreading within her, feeling disgusted and ashamed, hearing the voices of her clan in her mind, calling her a whore and a slut for allowing this Human to sodomize her.

It felt… strangely invigorating.

Noon ceased his jerking, his own orgasm now coming to an end. All he could muster was heavy breathing. He tried to pull up and get closer to M’Ress, but his legs failed him and he slipped, falling slowly to the ground in a sitting position.

“Holy shit,” he breathed. “That was a little intense…”

M’Ress had to agree with that assessment as she slipped off the table. Noon could see her coming and managed to catch her quickly enough to try and make sure she didn’t fall directly onto her abused rear end. It still rubbed briefly against his thigh and she hissed in pain.

“I’m sorry!” he exclaimed quickly.

“It’s okay,” she insisted through tears. “Just hold me.”

He maneuvered her again into a sitting position, with her butt hanging off his thigh. It was a little awkward, but it was the most comfortable position for her. He rubbed her head affectionately, trying to sooth her pain.

“My…” she said, gulping hard, “…my butt hurts.” Noon chuckled and kissed her head.

“I’m really sorry about that,” Noon said with genuine regret. “Things kinda got out of hand back there.”

“No, i-it’s f-fine,” M’Ress managed.

“I really don’t think it was, I mean… that came out of nowhere!”

“It was actually very familiar to me,” M’Ress breathed.

“Is THAT how Caitians make love!?” Noon exclaimed.

M’Ress laughed and patted Noon on his shoulder.

“I think it’s adorable you call that _making love_.”

“Still, I guess your heat is starting to affect me more than I thought.”

“You are my _mate_ , you fool,” M’Ress said, nuzzling closer to him. “It comes with the territory.”

“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Noon said worriedly. “In the meantime, I should get you back to your quarters.”

“No,” M’Ress insisted. “I have to go to the bridge.”

“Can you even sit down right now?” Noon asked.

“…Yes.”

“Then do it. Sit down on the ground.”

M’Ress considered the request. She lowered herself, almost touching the ground, before backing out.

“You know, there really should be command stations that allow you to stand,” she said.

“That’s what I thought,” Noon said, putting his arms around her and picking her up.

“I may not be able to sit down, but I can still stand on my own!” she insisted.

“I know you can,” Noon said still picking her up and gently placing her on her feet.

“Well… thank you, regardless,” she said. She was finally able to pull up her undergarments, only wincing slightly as she got them over her sore rear. Noon fixed himself up as well, making sure everything was where it was supposed to be.

“What will you tell the crew?” she asked.

Noon shrugged. “You started to feel queasy, so I told you to go to your quarters until you felt better.”

“That’s an awful excuse,” M’Ress said.

“I know,” Noon said, a hit of humor in his voice. “But… hey?”

“Yes?” M’Ress said, looking at him. Noon stepped closer and pulled her closer to him. He rubbed her head affectionately.

“I’m sorry you had to wear those boots,” he whispered in her ear, eliciting a chuckle from her.

“I accept your apology,” she said in return, wrapping her tail around him and melting into the embrace.

“I’m also sorry I called you a slut.”

M’Ress groaned and shook her head.

“You ruined it,” she said. “You ruined the moment.”

“I am sorry though.”

“I know you are. Now shut up and hold me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that happened. Kinda the most graphic I'm willing to go when it comes to sex scenes. And it's kinda the most throw-away chapter there is. But you know, there's some world building going on that'll come into play later on in this story. And the next chapter promises to be an interesting one! Because NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW, M'RESS IS GOING TO GO...
> 
> "BEYOND THE MIRROR"


	11. Beyond the Mirror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A technical malfunction sends M'Ress to a twisted version of her universe.

Having spent the last three days on Ceti Foxtrot VII, M’Ress had started feeling refreshed and calm. It was a semi-aquatic world with most of the world’s landmasses consisting of archipelagos and large islands. Her mission had been to recalibrate the automatic communication sensor towers that the Federation had placed there. It was an uninhabited world, so Starfleet used it as a subspace communication buoy. It was also a popular shore leave location, but this visit had been all business.

Still, work hadn’t stopped her from appreciating the crystal-clear waters and deep green of the flora. It was a shame she couldn’t have enjoyed it with anyone else. The communication towers were isolated from the shore leave resort destination on the other side of the world and Dodge had deemed the mission a solo operation. They had dropped M’Ress off to complete the task on her own before returning. And time was just about up.

“This is the USS _Hood_ to Lieutenant M’Ress,” Dodge’s voice came on over the commination channel M’Ress had left open, “You ready to come home yet?”

“Just about, Captain,” M’Ress responded. “I have a few more systems checks to make before I can call it good.”

“We have the transporter on standby to beam you up as soon as you finish, Lieutenant,” Dodge said. “So just give us a ring as soon as you’re done.”

“You sound like you’re in a hurry,” M’Ress teased. “You didn’t want to stay and file for some shore leave?”

“Trust me, I’d love to stay and work on my tan, but engineering is getting early signs of an ion storm moving in and I’d like to avoid the brunt of it. Also, there are _some of us_ on board who can’t wait to get our Caitian Communicator back.”

M’Ress smiled and played dumb, “I’m shocked Novo would express such eagerness to have me in her company.”

Dodge chuckled. “Oh yeah, her emotional outbursts have been out of control. Oh, and uh, there’s some mopey second-in-command clown who’s been in low spirits, but I don’t think you’d care much about him.”

“I have _not_ been mopey,” came Noon’s voice.

“You’ve been mopey,” Vedra’s voice contradicted.

“I haven’t been mopey!”

“Commander Noon,” Dodge interjected, “I order you to get your mopey behind down to Transporter Room 2 and welcome our communications officer back on board.”

“Yes… sir,” Noon said. And then quickly: “See you soon, Lieutenant.”

M’Ress, who had remained quiet, enjoying hearing her comrades’ banter again, just said, “You as well, Commander.”

“Captain?” It was the voice of the transporter chief.

“Go ahead, chief,” Dodge said. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing too concerning, sir. It’s just that the ion storm is starting to interfere with my station and if we hold off any longer, we’ll have to wait for the storm to clear before I can transport the Lieutenant.”

“Miss M’Ress, you catch that?” Dodge asked.

“I did,” M’Ress responded, flipping a few switches and finishing the last diagnostic. “And I am just… about… done now.” She closed the panel on the tower and gave it a triumphant bump with her paw. “I’m ready for transport now, Captain.”

“You hear the lady, chief. Whenever you can.”

“Acknowledged, sir, energizing now.”

“See you soon, Miss M’Ress,” Dodge said.

“Likewise, sir,” M’Ress said, beginning to feel the transporter take her up to the ship.

* * *

As M’Ress energized onto the ship, she took a deep breath of the air on the _Hood_. She was glad to be home. She rubbed her neck to work out some stiffness she had been feeling the last few hours in Ceti Foxtrot VII… but found her paw blocked by a thick metal collar.

She blinked in confusion and looked down to get a look at what was on her neck. It wasn’t just her neck. Her entire outfit had changed. Her uniform was completely missing its midriff… and she was wearing a damn _pair of boots._ M’Ress stumbled around, trying to make sense of what happened, maybe some kind of transporter malfunction? A practical joke?

“The hell are you doing?” snarled the transporter chief. M’Ress looked at him and saw that his uniform was also different. No exposed midriff, but it was definitely not a Starfleet enlisted uniform. It looked _similar_ , but… did they change up the uniforms while she was away?

“I…” she said, choosing her words carefully, “I… just got turned around is all.”

“Whatever,” the chief said, going back to his station. “Don’t need to be wasting my time on you, anyway.”

That was a little more disrespect than what M’Ress would typically tolerate, but as she was about to reply, the doors opened. She looked at who walked in but didn’t quite believe it.

It was Commander Noon. Only… not. He wore another non-Starfleet uniform along with a… knife on his belt? When did they… and then the shadows cleared over his face and M’Ress had to suppress a gasp.

Across his face were four thick diagonal scars. They were healed, but the marks were highly noticeable. The way he held himself was different, the way he looked at her was off-putting… cold and calculated. This was… different.

Something was incredibly wrong. Mind-altering drugs? Alternate reality? Clones? The possibilities buzzed in her head.

“So,” Noon said coldly, “Here. You are.”

“Here I am,” M’Ress agreed, keeping her voice as flat as possible.

Clearly that was the wrong thing to say because Noon then became visibly annoyed.

“Is that all you have to say after everything I went through to get you down there!?” he spat. “I sent you there to learn something from those whores, and you don’t even express gratitude!”

M’Ress blinked and straightened herself up. This was beyond a joke or prank. Something truly weird was happening and she decided it was best to play along until she figured out what it was.

“I… sorry, sir,” she said, playing along. “I’m still… adjusting.”

“Well adjust _quicker_ ,” he said. “It’s unbecoming of a consort to act the way you are.” His gaze became dark as he took a step closer. “Do I REALLY have to use the agonizer on you already? Is that what you’re going to make me do?”

M’Ress had no idea what an _agonizer_ was, and she didn’t care to find out.

“No, please,” she said, trying to sound panicked and apologetic. “Please, I’m truly sorry! Really, I am!”

“You better be!” he scolded her. “Despite what you may think, hurting you does not bring me pleasure.” He then thought it over and shrugged. “Okay, it does, but I’m not in the mood. Follow, _pet_.” He turned on his feel and exited, M’Ress followed close behind.

The ship was something like a house of horrors. Everyone stopped to give Noon a strange salute, the logo of the Federation was dismal, and in the distance, she could hear screams. In her mind, she began to lean towards this being some kind of broken reality.

“What’s that sound?” M’Ress couldn’t help but ask.

“If you don’t want to find out,” Noon said, “I suggest you shut your mouth and keep _walking_.”

M’Ress, begrudgingly, did as she was told. Eventually the two were at the entrance to Noon’s quarters. Whatever… _this_ was, M’Ress was at least thankful that the layout of the ship remained the same. Even though so much else had changed.

“You will go inside and await my return from duty,” Noon commanded. “If I hear you have been roaming about the ship, I _will_ punish you. Am I understood, pet?”

“Yes, sir,” M’Ress said.

Noon scoffed. “ _Sir_. I think it’s funny you’re trying to act like a member of the crew, but please: ‘master’ will suffice.”

“Y-yes… _Master_ ,” M’Ress corrected and entered Noon’s quarters.

“Good slave,” he said and swatted her rear before she could fully enter, making her jump slightly.

The doors closed and M’Ress immediately took off the boots, throwing them aside. She had a feeling her “master” would not mind her wearing less clothing anyway. She then hopped over to the computer console. It was time to find out answers.

“Computer,” M’Ress said. “Access the complete history of the _Hood_ and recount its service history.”

 _The ISS_ Hood _(NCC-1703-A) is a_ Constitution _-class Imperial battle cruiser currently captained by Kenneth Dodge. The Hood was commissioned—_

“Computer,” M’Ress interjected, “explain the… history of the Empire.”

_The Terran Empire was founded on Earth during the early formative years of the species. Since the first confrontations with the Vulcans, the Empire has spread across the stars, conquering the Denobulans, Andorians, Aenars—_

“Computer, what is the status of the planet Ferasa in regard to Terran control?” she asked.

_No planet is known to exist by that name in the Terran database._

M’Ress rolled her eyes. “Computer, what is the status of the planet _Cait_ in regard to Terran control?” Clearly this Empire did not allow worlds to go by more than one name.

_Planet Cait is under the control of the Terran Empire._

“And how does the Caitian population contribute to the Empire?” M’Ress asked.

_Its population is largely utilized for slave labor in the nearby dilithium mines as well as being used as personal consorts on board Imperial vessels._

M’Ress rubbed her temples. She had clearly somehow ended up in a world that was wrong. The history was wrong. It was an alternate history… an alternate _timeline of events_. The Humans she had grown to respect, who wanted nothing more than to explore and unite the galaxy in friendship, have been perverted into savage conquerors. Her own people: subjugated and broken.

“Oh, hell,” M’Ress swore to herself.

This was a nightmare and she had to escape.

But how did she even get here? There was no sign of anything different when she spoke to the Captain. None of the disrespect she had been shown since… arriving on the ship. The transporter. Something had to have gone wrong in the transporter. But how—

_The ion storm._

She couldn’t even begin to understand how an ion storm could have deposed her in an alternate timeline, but that’s what made the most sense. Barring some sort of interference by a third party, at any rate.

It almost sounded farfetched, but she had to believe that. The alternative was accepting that this was her reality now, and that was unacceptable.

Then another thought crossed her mind. If an alternate Noon and Dodge existed here, surely there must be an alternate version of herself. This was clearly where her alternate version was supposed to be, but if she’s not here, then she’s either hiding down on the planet or, more likely, she ended up in M’Ress’s timeline. On M’Ress’s _Hood_. It would explain how she ended up wearing the wrong clothes. Something got crossed in the transporting.

She just hoped that her own crew was dealing with this and maybe trying to find their own solution to fixing this disturbing mess.

* * *

As Noon walked to the transporter room, he thought about the best way to greet M’Ress. A quip? Something genuine? Staying formal? He decided it would be best to allow M’Ress to lead. Whatever she was most comfortable with.

It would probably be a quip.

He smiled to himself as he entered the transporter room. He spotted M’Ress immediately and she looked… kind of lost. She had her back turned away from the door and was looking at the room like it was covered in polka dots. Noon made eye contact with the transporter chief and cocked an eyebrow. The chief shrugged and went back to work. Noon cleared his throat loudly.

M’Ress quickly spun around and saw him. Her eyes widened in horror and confusion. She looked at him as if he had grown five heads.

“Wh-what…” she began, almost shaking with fear, “What is this?”

Noon gave her a look.

“First of all: welcome back,” he said with a hint of humor in his voice. “It’s good to see you too. Second of all… what’s what?”

“Th-this… what… what is this? What are you doing?” M’Ress asked, slowly backing away further onto the pad.

“What do you mean, what am I doing? I’m standing here, talking to you. You seem kinda… unnerved, Lieutenant? Did something… spook you?”

“Lieu…? Is this… a test?” she asked meekly, finally getting her back against the curve of the transporter wall. “Because if it is, I admit I fail. Please end this, Master! This is… too cruel.”

The transporter chief looked up and gave Noon a playfully quizzical look at the word ‘master.’

“No!” Noon insisted. “Chief, this is not even remotely close to what you’re… Lieutenant, I don’t know what you’re doing, but you need to stop.”

“I… I don’t…” M’Ress stammered. “I would, I just don’t…” she started to tear up and slide down to the ground. Up until that point, Noon had been starting to get annoyed, thinking it was a game, but her reaction seemed far too genuine. He had seen her act in several plays by this point, and while she was talented, her acting was never _this_ good. Noon put up his hands and walked towards her slowly.

“Hey… M’Ress,” he said softly. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

“I’m so confused,” she said as she gripped her head in her paws and tears streamed down her face. “I don’t understand, please, I’ll take any punishment you wish for me! I’ll walk naked through the halls again, or service the crew, or… just stop this… _please_ … I don’t like this test.”

Noon walked onto the transporter pad and stepped very slowly towards her.

“I’m not going to punish you, I need you to relax,” he reassured her. “M’Ress. Look at me.”

Her eyes shot up and looked at his face. But that only seemed to make it worse as she started to hyperventilate and fall over, curling up into a ball.

“Please…” she continued to mutter, “Please, I just want this to end…”

Noon knelt down next to her and tried to pat her arm, but she flinched, so he took his hand away. He took out his communicator. “Noon to medical.”

“Sick bay here,” Chen said.

“Doc, I need you to Transporter Room 2. There’s something wrong with Lieutenant M’Ress.”

“Is she sick or injured?”

“Neither… I think she’s having a… a panic attack?”

“I’ll… be right there,” Chen said confused.

Noon closed his communicator and looked at M’Ress. She was now shaking and muttering something to herself.

He thought about what he should do, to try and get her to relax. He then thought about the things she had said.

“M’Ress…” Noon said. “The… the test is over?” She stopped shaking and wiped her face. She turned over tentatively and looked at him, still confused and slightly scared, but open to talk at least.

“It… it is?” she asked, sobbing slightly.

“Yes,” Noon said unsure.

“Did… did I pass, master? Did I pass the test?” she sounded almost desperate. “I know I begged you to stop, but that must’ve been part of the test too, yes? I passed, didn’t I? Yes?”

“…Sure. You passed. Congratulations.”

M’Ress wiped her eyes and hopped onto her knees.

“It was… a very _clever_ test, master,” she said, but then softly, “…But it was cruel. And I still don’t understand how you changed the room and the clothes and what kind of make-up you put on your face and… it’s a confusing test, master.”

Noon blinked, trying to piece together what was going on. Did she have some sort of mental breakdown?

“Umm… M’Ress? How did I change the room and our clothes… and my face? Exactly?”

“Oh… if this is part of the test, then… the logo of the Empire is absent from the wall, the underling did not give you the proper salute when you entered, your uniform is completely different, the marks of honor upon your face are gone, my clothes are all changed, my collar—” she panicked and felt around her neck. “My collar! Master, my collar is gone! Where is it!? I’ll put it back on, I just need to—”

Noon grabbed her paws gently and lowered them, calming her.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t worry about that right now. You mentioned… an Empire?”

But at that moment, Chen entered the transporter room. M’Ress looked over Noon’s shoulder and her face fell. She tried to back away further.

“N-no, please!” she begged, her eyes starting to well up again. “Y-you said I passed, you said I passed! Why is he here, how did I fail you!?”

Chen and Noon exchanged a look.

“She seems tense,” Chen said.

“Yeah, she was doing better a second ago,” Noon said. “Maybe, give me a second here. M’Ress?”

“Y-yes, Master?” she said, her eye full of fear.

“Now… you seem scared of the doctor there, but… he’s not going to hurt you.”

She looked at Noon with apprehension.

“Would I ever let anyone hurt you?” he asked her, hoping that would help.

“Only… only if you were playing a game,” she admitted. “But you never had _him_ play before.”

“…Okay,” Noon said, disgusted with the fantasy version of himself that had infected M’Ress’s mind. “Exactly. And I’m not going to start now. He’s just going to take a scan of you. That’s it.”

“Y-yes, Master,” M’Ress said. “I’m sorry I keep being frightened, I know it displeases you, I’m just… so confused.”

“It’s okay, I understand. Doctor?” With that, Chen walked up slowly and started to run a scan of M’Ress.

“I swear,” Chen muttered to himself. “If this is some kind of sick joke between you two…”

“Doctor?” Noon said testily. “I am not in the mood. Something is wrong. Find out what.”

“Understood, sir,” Chen said, continuing his scan. 

M’Ress stared at Chen with fear, but she quickly crawled towards Noon and hugged him tightly, burying her head in his chest. Noon awkwardly patted her head and let her be.

“Relax, M’Ress. You’re gonna be okay” he said. “We’ll find out what’s wrong… I promise.”

* * *

The More M’Ress learned about the Terran Empire, the more disgusted she became.

Slavery, forced poverty, endless wars, legalized assassination, torture… this horror show spat in the face of everything she believed in the Federation. Her one regret is that she’d never get the opportunity to scrub this reality from the face of existence. She’d have to settle for escape. But how? Even if she could get to the transporter room unnoticed and (quite possible literally) unmolested, she’d need to get someone to work the controls for her. Finding an ally here seemed far out of the question.

Or was it?

M’Ress couldn’t be the only mistreated person on this ship. The Empire of Nightmares had institutionalized servitude and slavery. She doubted she was the only slave. M’Ress brought up the personnel logs and scanned through, trying to find a hint to a potential ally. Then a name stuck out to her.

Novo.

Not _Lieutenant_ Novo. Just Novo. Assigned to the quarters next door. The captain’s quarters. M’Ress grimaced in disgust and turned off the computer. She went over to the entrance to the quarters and let the doors open slowly.

She took a few peeks up and down the corridor. Empty. M’Ress booked it to the captain’s quarters, opened it without chiming, and let the door shut behind her.

Someone stirred in the sleeping room. M’Ress held her breath, hoping it wasn’t whatever twisted version of the captain lived in this hell dimension.

“Captain? Have you returned…?” From around the door frame came Novo and M’Ress partially relaxed. She still had no idea what to expect from this version of the Lieutenant. Catching sight of M’Ress, Novo became visibly confused. “M’Ress? This is highly irregular. What are you doing here?”

“I need your help,” M’Ress said, walking across the room towards the Vulcan.

“What have you done to earn your master’s ire?” Novo asked with just the slightest hint of curiosity in her voice. “You are usually well-behaved enough to avoid the bulk of his rages.”

“It’s not anything I’ve done, it’s who I am!” M’Ress said. “I don’t belong here!”

“That is incorrect,” Novo said. “You are the property of Commander Atticus Noon and therefore belong wherever he wants you. In this case, on board the _Hood_. You are acting most illogically.”

“No,” M’Ress retorted, “I am not the M’Ress you think I am. I’m from… someplace else. A parallel world, one that has a separate history where there is no Empire, no slavery! Where we’re both equal members of this crew! And I need your help getting back.”

Novo stared at her, thinking over her words.

“I believe the consorts on the planet have taught you some very odd tricks, M’Ress,” Novo said.

“It’s not a trick!” M’Ress exclaimed. “It’s the truth!”

“Truth can only be ascertained through proof. Do you have any proof of what you say is true?”

“Of course I don’t! I got thrown here through the transporter. There might be a way to see an error occurring, but I don’t know how to get it to tell us that I came here from a parallel world!”

“Then there is no way to verify if what you are saying is true,” Novo concluded. “Please leave, I tire of this game.”

“No, wait!” M’Ress tried. “There has to be something I can say to make you BELIEVE ME!” She threw up her paws in exasperation, claws out in instinctual frustration. Novo looked at her paws in sudden surprise.

“Fascinating,” Novo whispered.

“What?” M’Ress asked, wondering what exactly was so fascinating.

Novo just started at her for a few moments, taking the Caitian in before saying, “Tell me your whole story. From the beginning.”

M’Ress smiled. She wasn’t sure what she did, but she was really glad she did it.

* * *

“So how does she look, Doc?” Noon asked.

It had taken a little longer than usual to get M’Ress down to sickbay. The entire time she shook with fear and trepidation, unsure of everything and everyone around her. And it took even more time to get her to relax around Chen. She was still convinced he would do something unspeakable to her, but Noon reassured her that it was just a simple examination. Clearly she was still scared, but she did as her “master” instructed her.

“Aside from a few… oddities, she’s in perfect physical health,” Chen explained.

“Oddities?” Noon asked. “Like what?”

“First and foremost? She’s been declawed.”

“What? Who the hell did that to her?”

“According to M’Ress… _you_ did,” Chen said.

Noon blinked.

The Doctor continued, “She said she used to _misbehave_ regularly, but then after an incident, she claims you took her claws and it sounds like you ‘re-educated’ her, put her through some sort of mental conditioning and torture. At least that’s what I was able to gather.”

“Doc, I didn’t… this is… I don’t even…” the words just couldn’t come to Noon. The suggestion that he could be capable of torturing anyone, let alone M’Ress, was laughable, aggravating, insulting, and horrifying all at the same time.

“It’s alright, Commander,” Chen reassured him. “You’re not the only one who’s been acting like a real scumbag. According to her, I’m some kind of mad scientist. She’s told me some of the things I’ve apparently subjugated the crew to, and I am thoroughly disgusted with myself.”

“She’s admitted to mental reconditioning,” Noon went on, “ _I_ didn’t do it, but maybe someone did?”

“There is evidence of that from her mental scans,” Chen said, “but you said she was acting completely fine over the communicator?”

“That’s right, when we talked to her earlier, she was completely normal. She didn’t act anything like…” he gestured over to where M’Ress sat in the next room. She saw him gestured and waved back meekly.

“H-hello, Master!” she called out. “Would you like me to return to your side?”

“No, no,” Noon told her. “Just stay there and… relax. Okay?”

“Yes, master,” she said and laid down in a relaxed pose. Noon pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Well,” Chen said, “I’m a little out of date on my mental torturing procedures, but I’m pretty sure you can’t do this amount of damage in the ten seconds it takes for someone to transport from a planet’s surface to a starship.”

“Then how else could it have happened, Doc?” Noon asked.

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Dodge said, strolling into the medical bay. “I have Vedra looking over the transporter and Banks scanning the area for any abnormalities other than that blasted ion storm. I need you to tell me everything that Miss M’Ress has told you, Commander. Not just the notes.”

“There’s honestly not that much to tell, sir,” Noon said. “She’s told us about how we supposedly act, like we’re all monsters wearing Human skin, working for some empire.”

Dodge looked at Noon curiously. “Empire? What Empire?”

Noon shrugged. “The _Terran Empire_. She told me on the way to sick bay. Apparently, we’re intergalactic despots, conquering worlds, enslaving populations, assassinating our superiors… we’re a real friendly bunch.”

The color drained from Dodge’s face.

“Aw, hell,” he whispered. “Not this crap…”

“What crap are you talking about, sir?” Noon asked, not sure what was going on.

Dodge quickly shut and locked the doors to the medical and looked around, making sure it was just the three of them.

“What I’m about to tell you two is classified. Understood? I only know about it because I’m drinking friends with one of the admirals this information was reported to. And I am swearing you BOTH to secrecy on this. Not a word gets out about it unless I tell you two. Got it?”

Both Noon and Chen exchanged a look but gave their word.

“Good,” Dodge said, “Now. If what you’re telling me is true, then this situation just became a full-blown mess because… this isn’t the first time a someone has reported the things M’Ress is saying.”

“What?” Noon said, shocked.

“There have been incidents reported by a few starships over the years of coming into contact with a brutal and savage ‘Terran Empire,’” Dodge continued. “But this Empire doesn’t exist in our universe. It exists in a separate timeline. An alternate universe. And the method of transport between our universe and this other universe has involved transporter malfunctions during an ion storm.”

Noon wasn’t sure exactly what to say.

“Sir,” Chen said, “you do know what you’re saying sound insane, right?” Noon figured that just about covered what he wanted to say.

“Of course I do. But look at the line of work we’re in. A month ago, a race of sentient lights invaded our ship and hunted us for sport.”

“Sure,” Chen said, “But that can be explained with science. And a really bad understanding of interspecies ethics.”

“And so can this, Doctor,” Dodge said sternly. “Our M’Ress is now stuck in that alternate universe while we… have theirs.”

Noon looked over to M’Ress, unsure of the captain’s words.

“Commander,” Dodge said. “It’s the truth. And that’s the assumption we’re going with moving forward.”

“Okay, Captain,” Noon said, still unsteady. “If we’re working from that perspective, that our M’Ress is stuck in some parallel universe where…” All the things Noon had been told by this M’Ress came back to him in an instant and images of her being subjugated to said horrors flashed across his mind. “How do we get her back!?” He finished quickly.

“That’s the easy part,” Dodge said. “All we have to do is send this M’Ress back through and ours should just appear back in our own universe.”

“How do you know that?” Chen asked.

“Because the last time this occurred, when the crew returned from the other universe, their doppelgangers disappeared. It’s been surmised that they went back to where they belonged.”

“So that’s it?” Noon said, sounding relieved. “All we have to do is send back this M’Ress and we’ll… get ours… back…” the energy died from Noon’s voice as he trailed off, staring vacantly over where the other M’Ress laid down.

“Commander?” Dodge asked. “What’s wrong?”

Noon looked at the captain, his face crossed with pain and worry.

“Sir…” he said. “We can’t do that.”

“Care to explain why?” Dodge asked, not following whatever logic he was on.

“Just look at her, Captain. She’s an abuse victim. We cannot send her back to suffer whatever hell she came from.”

Dodge sighed knowingly, the picture now clicking in his head.

“That is an _extremely_ good point, Commander,” Dodge admitted begrudgingly. “The last visitors from that universe were perpetuators of that horrible system. This… she’s a victim. A part of me wants to weigh the cost of _my_ Lieutenant against this M’Ress. This M’Ress isn’t a part of my crew, isn’t a citizen of the Federation, or even a native to my universe. I have no real responsibility to safeguard her from the potential dangers of her own habitat, or even to get involved in the internal workings of this… so-called Terran Empire.”

Silence collected in the room as everyone evaluated the Captain’s words.

“But…” he continued, “that argument isn’t going to hold water. Interference in other universes, governments, or people I have no responsibility over be damned. I’ll never be able to live with myself if I send a slave back into slavery.”

Chen nodded silently.

“Plus,” Noon continued off the Captain’s words, “If I know our M’Ress… she may have already figured out what’s going on and is looking for a way out. She wouldn’t consciously doom another person to slavery, but… if she comes back and doesn’t know that she’s sending back her duplicate…”

“Well… damn it,” Dodge spat, pulling out his communicator. “Banks, Vedra, this is the Captain.”

“Go ahead,” Vedra responded.

“I’m going to need you two to report to the science lab on the double.”

“We’re on our way,” Banks said, “But is there any particular reason why?”

“Yeah,” Dodge said, “I’m gonna need you two to break the laws of reality.”

“…Oh,” Vedra said. “Any particular law or do you want us to tear up the whole rulebook?”

“I’ll fill you in when I get there. Dodge out.” He turned to Noon. “Grab your Caitian, Commander. We have to assume we have no time to work with.”

“Right away,” Noon said. “And she’s not my… right away, sir.” He figured in this case it was best to not argue over semantics and hurry. Because he knew he was right. They had no idea what their M’Ress was doing, if she even can escape. But if she does? She’s going for it.

And now the race to save her doppelganger was on.

* * *

“That son of a bitch declawed me!?” M’Ress exclaimed.

“More accurately, this universe’s version of you,” Novo corrected.

“Bastard,” M’Ress swore.

“Indeed,” Novo agreed. “And since your species cannot regrow their claws once removed in that fashion, that only leaves two options: someone surgically replaced them or that you are indeed from a parallel universe. And under the circumstances, the latter is more probable.”

“Are you tell me it’s more likely that I’m from another plane of existence than it is that someone just… helped me?” M’Ress asked.

“Indeed,” Novo confirmed darkly.

“This universe is terrible,” M’Ress said. “No offense!” she added quickly. “At least… I hope so. You will help me, won’t you?”

“I will,” Novo said. “You do not belong here. Your presence is upsetting this universe’s natural order. As damaged as you may believe it to be, this is the way things are. You, every part of you, disrupts that order. You must be returned.”

M’Ress gave a little hop of joy and hugged Novo affectionately.

“Thank you!” she exclaimed. “Thank you so much!”

“Yes, well,” Novo muttered, slowly pushing the Caitian away, “I have much to do and, if your assumption about the ion storm being a factor involved, little time to do it in.”

“What can I do to help?” M’Ress asked.

“Nothing,” Novo said flatly. “As the captain’s consorted officer, I am allowed to freely move about the ship as I please. You are not. I suggest you return to your quarters and await further instructions.”

“If you’re sure…” M’Ress began.

“I am. But there is an issue. The current shift is about to end, which mean Commander Noon will be returning to his quarters for the evening. I can prepare you for your return to your universe, but you will have to find a way to incapacitate the Commander so you can make your escape.”

“Right,” M’Ress agreed.

“Let me clarify. By ‘incapacitate,’ I mean to get him unconscious without him becoming suspicious,” Novo said. “We do not want to risk alerting him or anyone else to our plans.”

“Sounds like I could use some Romulan Ale,” M’Ress mused. “It that legal here?”

“It is. It is not legal in your universe?”

“Nope.”

“A pity. But there is one other issue we should discuss: the M’Ress of this universe.”

“Right…” M’Ress hadn’t really thought too much about that issue.

“I believe it would be best if she remained in your universe,” Novo said.

M’Ress started to say something to counter that but stopped herself. She thought about the kind of life her double would have had. Enslaved, abused, tortured… It wouldn’t be right to send anyone back to that, let alone _herself_.

“That… sounds right,” M’Ress finally said. “But are you sure? If there isn’t a M’Ress on this ship and you helped one of them get away—”

“Please. I am fully capable of handling my own affairs. Releasing you is my own choice and I fully accept the consequences of my actions.”

“You could come with me,” M’Ress suggested.

“The thought had crossed my mind,” Novo admitted. “But my place is here. I am not a slave as you are. I have freedoms that you never could.”

M’Ress smiled in appreciation. “I would have thought you would say that because the other me doesn’t belong in my universe, you would demand her back. Since that’s your logic for why I should go back.”

“That also crossed my mind. And even though it does bend logic, I do not gain pleasure from the torment of other. If I can lessen that torment, then I shall.”

“You know,” M’Ress said coyly, “With how broken everyone else is around here, I’m surprised you’re as well-adjusted as you are.”

“Thank you. I am actually pleased to hear that Vulcan logic seems to be a trans-universal constant.” M’Ress could swear the ghost of a pleased smile seemed pass across her emotionless face. But just as quickly as it happened, it was gone and Novo continued, “But now it is time for you to go. I shall signal when I am ready for you.”

“Understood,” M’Ress said and turned to leave. But before leaving, she turned to her newfound ally and said, “Be careful.” The Caitian left the room and hurried back to Noon’s quarters.

Now came the most difficult part of all: the waiting.

M’Ress prepared the best she could. It was time to seduce harder than she had ever seduced anyone before. She called up three bottles of Romulan ale and laid herself out across the table in a sultry position. The time ticked by slowly. Agonizingly slowly. Novo said the shift would be ending soon. Just how long—

The doors opened and the scarred Noon stepped into the room. He seemed distracted, frustrated with something, then he spotted M’Ress spread out across the table, and a smile broke out across his face.

“Well well well. Look who’s being a good little pet,” he said.

“Of course, my dear sweet Master, _mrrrrrrr_ …” she purred. “I live to please you in every way I can~”

“This is quite the change from earlier,” he said somewhat suspiciously.

“I was nervous earlier, Master,” M’Ress said. “I wasn’t sure how I should show you all the fun things I learned…”

“Oh, oh, oh. I see,” he said, walking over to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting on it like he was the coolest piece of shit that ever surfed a toilet bowl. “In that case, my little tramp, why don’t you show me all that you have learned.”

“ _Mrrrwwww_ … gladly,” she whispered and stood up from the table. She poured a glass of ale and gave it to Noon.

“Now that’s more like it!” he exclaimed and gave her behind a firm slap. She winced but kept on with the act. She circled around behind him and started to sensually massage his shoulders.

“Mmmmm… you like this, Master?” M’Ress whispered.

“Oh, yes!!” he spat out between mouthfuls of ale while throwing his feet on the table. “You’re finally useful! In fact, I should use all of you now…” he tried to stand, but M’Ress held him down.

“N-no, wait! I want you to relax fully first, Master! Please!”

“No, I think not. This bores me,” he whined.

“Then… should I tell you a story?” M’Ress. “Or you could share one of your many, many exploits with me! Master!”

“Like what?” he said, peering into his glass before taking another swig.

“Like… uhh…” M’Ress couldn’t be sure this Noon shared the same complete history as her Noon, so she had no idea what any of his exploits could have been. Except… “Tell me the story of how you got your scars!”

Noon seemed to freeze in place.

“What?’ he said coldly. “You want to hear… how I got these scars?”

“Y-yes?” M’Ress tried, gambling desperately.

Noon drained his glass and slammed it down on the table.

“What an excellent idea!” he exclaimed cheerfully, pouring himself another glass. “I’m actually rather surprised you’d want to hear it. I thought you hated that story.”

“No, not at all!” M’Ress said. “I find it most… heroic! A grand achievement of my handsome Master!”

“Huh,” Noon said off-handedly, taking a sip. “A surprising attitude. You wouldn’t think someone would find the tale of how their father was killed heroic, but hey who am I to judge the value of a savage beast.”

M’Ress felt like her heart froze over. She tried her best to keep up the massage.

“Anyway, so there I was, looking to claim my own slave from, the savage wilds of your disgusting little world. A huge honor that only someone of my skill could properly, PROERPLY! Pull-off,” he said, his words beginning to slur. “I came upon a meadow and there stodd your father: tall, prud pruish proud creature he was! And there were you, cowering by his side. I thought to myshelf: now there! THERE! Rought there is a creature worth possessering! SHhhoo I took acreful aim and shot him with my phas-eur, but the damn sights were-off and I missed! So then the beast charged me, RIGHT AT ME! Right at me, so then he—I! So then I took aim again, but hewuz quiKK! Got me across my face! But Iiiii didn’t quite I shob him again! That time, that time got him! He wen down and I gave him another shot! And another! Eventually he just vanished…POOF! Like a weakling. But then there you were, screaming and crying, clawing at where he wuzzz… begging me to bring himmmm back…”

He erupted into drunken laughter at that point. “Oh… stupid, stupid, kid. I had you for the first time in that field…” he was beginning to drift off. “Yous just… crying and begging… but I had ya… I’ll always huv-ya… ya…” he slumped down and the glass fell from his hand and onto the floor.

M’Ress released her clenched fists, feeling the drops of blood that dripped off her fingers. She wasn’t sure at what point she had stopped giving the massage, at what point she had removed her paws from him because of she hadn’t she would have killed him and put her plan of escape in jeopardy, but the hot flash of murderous anger slipped away as she came back to her senses.

 _He isn’t worth it_ , she kept telling herself. Her escape was more important than avenging a version of her sire that wasn’t even technically her own sire.

But the memories of the past came through hard. Walking together through the woods of her home, exploring dark caves, fishing at Alkin Lake, falling asleep on his chest as he read her favorite stories… had the other M’Ress experienced the same joys? Felt the same love she felt for her sire?

Every fiber of her being burned with vengeance, but she couldn’t give in to it.

Instead, she sat down on the nearby couch and stared at the farce in front of her, imagining all the horrible things she wished she could do.

She was disgusted by him. What an utter fool. But not a noble fool like her Commander.

…Like her Atticus.

The real Atticus. His sharp wit and kindness. The way he always found a way to comfort her in her moments of weakness. The way he knew when he was drinking Romulan ale and could effectively manage his intake, so he didn’t end up sprawled out like a buffoon.

She missed him. Looking at his terrible, horrendous reflection made her realize how much she deeply missed him. Missed having his presence around her. Without that presence, she felt like a part of herself was missing. Like a section of tail had been removed. The sooner she left, the better.

Luckily, she didn’t have to wait for long. The nearby computer beeped quietly and M’Ress jumped over to the terminal. There was a message:

_Coffee is ready to go, come now, best flavor in the universe._

It read like something foolish, but M’Ress knew better. If the other Noon were still conscious and had read it, it wouldn’t have meant anything. Maybe an error of some sort. But it was clear to her. She left the quarters immediately, not looking back for an instant.

The automatic lighting had the ship on night hours, so she didn’t run into anyone on the way to the transporter. Her trip to the room was a blur as she tried to hold in her raw emotions.

She turned the corner and entered the transporter room, ready to leave this godsforsaken universe behind her. Novo was already at the transporter station.

“Hurry,” Novo said. “There is some time left, but I do not wish linger here.”

“Right,” M’Ress responded, stepping onto the pad. “Any problems?”

“None. Though after a quick analysis, I can confirm that there was only enough residual matter transference energy from your own universe to allow only one passenger.”

“Wy are you telling me that?” M’Ress asked.

“Earlier, you seemed emotional over the subject. I wanted to make sure you had no regrets.”

M’Ress smiled. “Thank you, Novo. For everything. I hope… I hope things get better for you. For… all of this. There’s a better path, a better way.”

“Perhaps,” Novo said. “But that will have to come later. For now…” she looked at M’Ress for a moment, thinking to herself about something. And then, slowly, tentatively, gave her the ancient Vulcan salute. “…Live long and prosper.”

M’Ress gave it in return. “Peace and long life,” she said.

Novo cocked an eyebrow. “If I had any doubts before… they are gone now.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because while some Non-Vulcans may know the first half, none but my people would care to know the proper return. You obviously must have learned that from someplace far away from here…” 

“I learned it from a friend,” M’Ress said, smiling.

“Indeed,” Novo said, nodding. “Energizing.”

M’Ress heard the telltale whir of the transporter pad turning on and then… she was away.

But where she once stood on the transporter pad, her clothing remained. Only her body beamed away. Her clothes floated in the energized air for a moment, seemed to energize for a moment themselves, then re-formed around a false body that appeared in M’Ress’s place. Novo walked over to the dummy and saw there was a paper note attached to it. She reached out and took the note, opening it slowly and read what it said.

_Dear Terran Empire Assholes,_

_We’re keeping her. If you come looking for her, you’ll only find a fight you can’t win._

_Love, Captain Kenneth Dodge and all your Better Halves of the United Federation of Planets._

Novo cocked an eyebrow.

“Fascinating.”

* * *

Reality came back into focus slowly. The first thing M’Ress caught sight of was Vedra looking fairly surprised. Almost shocked, actually.

Then M’Ress realized she was naked and tried her best to cover herself. But it was too late, Vedra had already seen everything.

“Sir,” Vedra said over the comms, “She’s here, but don’t come in. She’s… naked.”

“What?” said the captain’s voice over the communicator. “Why is she naked?”

“That is a very good question,” M’Ress agreed.

“Well, it isn’t like there was a uniform waiting for her on this side of the matter transference. And we didn’t really account for that in our estimations. Although I guess this means this is a good sign our other girl is still here?”

“Yep,” Banks’s voice said, “Her read-out is showing steady life signs and—”

Just then the doors to the transporter room opened and Noon ran in. He caught sight of M’Ress and a huge grin spread across his face.

“M’Ress!” he shouted. “You’re okay!” He ran over and pulled her into a warm hug. “God, I missed you!”

She chuckled and awkwardly tried to return the hug.

“Commander, I’m naked!” she exclaimed.

“No one’s perfect,” he said.

M’Ress’s heart melted and she felt tears welling up in her eyes.

“I missed you.” She whispered desperately. “You have no idea how disgusting you were a moment ago.”

Oh…” Noon said with some trepidation. “I have some idea.” He released his hug and pulled off his uniform overshirt. “Here you are, Lieutenant. Go ahead and make yourself somewhat presentable.”

She took it and slipped it over herself. The shirt was too big for her, but that helped in successfully covering up her nether region from view.

“Thank you, Commander,” she said. “Shall I return to duty _now?”_

“No…” he said with a grin. “I think I can maybe convince the captain to give you the evening off. All things considered.”

They shared a quiet moment.

Then Vedra cleared her throat loudly.

“Commander?” she asked.

Noon took a few steps back from M’Ress and cleared his own throat.

“Yes, Vedra?” he said professionally.

“If there’s nothing else, I think I’d like to take fifteen minutes. I just spat in the face of trans-reality physics, so I think I deserve the break.”

Noon nodded her off. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you,” Vedra said, sauntering out of the room.

“Commander?” Dodge said over the communicator. “I’d like you to finish making sure the Lieutenant is decent. Everyone go take a breather and we’ll debrief in a few.”

“I’ll meet you then, sir,” M’Ress responded.

“Excellent. Good to have you back, Lieutenant. Dodge out.”

Noon and M’Ress shared another quiet moment before stepping off the pad together and heading for the door.

“Uhh,” Banks said nervously over the comm, “This is Banks! Commander Noon, I’m sorry, but she kinda got away from me, I was trying to hold her, but you should probably prepare—”

The transporter room doors slid open and M’Ress almost had a heart attack as she ran into herself.

“Master, I… oh,” her duplicate said, catching sight of M’Ress. The double looked about as surprised as M’Ress felt. “What… what you’ve been telling me… it’s been true.”

M’Ress blinked at herself. There were small differences, but it was like looking in a mirror. She reached out a paw, but her mirror-self pulled away slightly… before leaning back in and holding out her own paw. They touched. Hesitantly. Then they interlocked their fingers. And their grip held firm.

Just then Brooks slid into view down the hall and he stumbled to his feet, catching his breath as he jogged over to the transporter doorway. He saw that the two M’Resses were holding paws and groaned out a sigh of relief.

“Oh good,” he huffed. “You didn’t explode.”

The M’Resses pulled away quickly.

“That could’ve happened!?” said the Prime M’Ress.

“Maybe?” Banks said, still catching his breath. “This whole thing was weird and slapped together with a prayer, M’Ress. I’m surprised we didn’t all end up the wrong gender or something.”

“What was slapped together?” she asked, still studying the Mirror M’Ress closely.

“Well, we heard about how this kind of thing happened before and when it did the duplicate vanished and went back to their own universe. We couldn’t let that happen to our guest here, so we had to rig up a way to fool reality into thinking it had pulled her back.”

“You… fooled reality?” M’Ress said, impressed. “That doesn’t sound possible.”

Banks shrugged. “I guess so. We scanned her and noticed she had a different matter frequency to our own. Like some kind of universe signature. We copied that, rigged it up to a dummy that had her same chemical and bio-electrical components, placed it onto the transporter pad, and sent it to the same pad as we were receiving you. Like I said, I’m shocked it work. But now we have two of you. So… yaaaaaaayyy?” Banks finally had his breath back and stood up tall. “I’m going to go have a heart attack now before we debrief. If that’s okay with you, Commander?”

“Sure, if that’s what you’d like to do,” Noon said. “I’ll… take care of this.”

“Uh huh,” Banks said, walking away, “Thank you, Commander.”

Noon watched him go and turned his attention back to the M’Resses. They were looking at each other, not saying anything.

“So…” he said. “M’Ress? This is M’Ress. Say hi, M’Ress.”

“Hi, M’Ress,” the two said in unison. They flinched, but then smiled at each other. Noon chuckled.

“Oh, wow,” he said. “What did they used to call it? Stereo? Would… would you two like to be alone, or…?”

Prime M’Ress grabbed his arm and held it tightly.

“No,” she said sternly. “I would like you to accompany me to my quarters. Please. Sir.”

Mirror M’Ress grabbed his other arm and held it just as tightly.

“And wherever my Master goes, I follow!” she said with force. Then she nuzzled him and purred loudly. “I love my new kinder, gentler Master…”

Prime M’Ress gave him a look.

“Can’t imagine how you could have missed me. I can’t seem to keep myself off you,” she said slyly.

“As if this was my idea!” he exclaimed.

“Oh be quiet and escort us back to our quarters, please, sir,” Prime M’Ress said. “I’d like to change into a proper uniform.”

Noon sighed. “As you wish,” he said and walked the two twin Caitians back to their quarters.

* * *

The debrief didn’t take long. Some plans were discussed about what to do, but nothing was certain. It mostly consisted of scientific talk about the ramifications of having two of the same person in the same universe simultaneously. The entire time, Mirror M’Ress held onto Noon while the Prime M’Ress begrudgingly sat respectfully in her own chair. After the senior staff broke, Prime M’Ress insisted the three of them head back to her quarters to discuss their own future more privately.

It was a mostly uneventful walk back to M’Ress’s quarters. While there, Noon tried to excuse himself to allow the ladies some privacy to change into sleeping clothes, but Prime M’Ress insisted that he wasn’t going to see anything he hadn’t already and Mirror M’Ress demanded he should stay as close to her as possible. So he gave the two Caitians as much decency he could. Afterward, he tried excusing himself to his own quarters again, but he was stopped.

“Don’t go, please,” Prime M’Ress asked. “This is a weird enough situation. I could use something familiar.”

“I thought you two would appreciate some alone time to talk things through,” Noon said. “It feels like I’m intruding on something personal.”

Prime M’Ress grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight.

“You’re not,” she assured him. They shared a smile briefly before Noon was tackled from behind by Mirror M’Ress, who jealously pulled him away from the Prime M’Ress.

“I don’t want my kind master to ever leave my side!” she exclaimed, holding him tight.

Noon patted her arm softly and pulled away, sitting her down on the bed.

“Maybe it’s important that I stick around and help establish what your life is going to be like now,” he told her. Mirror M’Ress blinked in confusion.

“What do you mean? I’ll stay with you!” she insisted. “I want to be with my master!”

“M’Ress,” he stated firmly. “You don’t have a master anymore. Not me, not _any version_ of me, not anyone. You are free to go wherever you want and do whatever you want.”

“It’s a big galaxy out there,” Prime M’Ress assured her. “Caitians are respected across the Federation. No one will treat you like a slave again.”

Mirror M’Ress looked down at her feet and squirmed in thought.

“If… if I can go anywhere,” she said, “Then I choose to stay here! With my master!”

Noon sighed and shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a possibility,” he said sadly.

“Why not!?” Mirror M’Ress demanded. She shot a dirty look at her counterpart. “Is it because of her? Is it because I’m inferior!”

“No!” Noon said, calming her. “No, God no. This is an exploratory vessel. Everyone is trained to be here. And even if you did join Starfleet, it would be years before you could be on the same ship as me. And even that isn’t a guarantee.”

The anger faded from Mirror M’Ress’s face and was replaced by a hopeless desperation. Her eyes welled with tears as she began to panic.

“But I… I don’t…” she tried to speak. “I’m lost here, and I don’t know where else I could…”

Prime M’Ress took a seat next to her counterpart and took her paws in her own.

“Hey,” she said reassuringly. “You’ll be okay. No matter where you end up, you’ll be okay. I know that better than anyone.”

A slideshow of emotions passed over Mirror M’Ress’s face. Confusion. Anger. Envy. But then it faded away and she pushed her head into Prime’s M’Ress chest and sobbed quietly. Prime M’Ress placed a paw on the back of her head and stroked her hair.

Then she did something Noon had never seen her do before.

She sang.

_Never fear, for I am here, we are together below the stars._

_The sky is bright with my love for you, the day is over and long gone._

_So rest your head, my little one, never doubt our bond._

_You will be safe, below the moons and the shining stars above…_

The Mirror M’Ress coughed out a laugh and wiped her eyes.

“That was my favorite verse,” she said. “From the lullaby mother would sing to me.”

“It’s my favorite too,” Prime M’Ress said with a smile. But then the smile faded. She recalled how her counterpart’s home life came to a crashing end. Prim M’Ress grasped her counterpart more securely and leaned in close to her ear.

“…He’s alive,” she whispered. “Our sire still lives.”

Mirror M’Ress’s head shot up.

“Wh-what!?” she whispered desperately. “Are you telling the truth?”

“Yes, of course! I would never lie to myself.”

The Mirror M’Ress looked panicked and worried. “It has been years since I’ve been… it wouldn’t even be my home, I lost everyone, not just my sire… everyone could be different, what if they do not love me because I am not their daughter, or…”

Prime M’Ress shushed her gently.

“They are… _difficult_ at times, but when I tell them about you, they will welcome you with open arms like you were their own. Because, and look at me… you _are_ their own.”

Mirror M’Ress began to tear up again.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much.”

Prime M’Ress smiled ruefully. “But there is something you have to do first.”

“What’s that?” Mirror M’Ress asked.

“On the planet below. It is a paradise world of vacation and leisure. But there are also facilities to help those who have suffered trauma. I think you should stay and get help.”

Mirror M’Ress looked hurt. “But… but I could go home, I should see what family I have here and…”

Prime M’Ress quieted her.

“I assure you that when I tell our parents that they have another daughter, _they_ will come to _you_. And it will not take them long, but until they do, you should receive professional help from a trained medical counselor.”

Prime M’Ress rubbed her counterpart’s face gently.

“You have been hurt. Maybe it doesn’t feel like it where you’re from, but you have. And I cannot in good conscious pass up the opportunity to get you the best help I can at the moment. And that would be the counseling services on the planet.”

Mirror M’Ress looked desperately to Noon. He had taken a few steps back to allow the two to speak.

“Please…” she pleaded. “Please, do not send me away, Master, _please_.”

Noon walked over to her and placed a reassuring hand on her leg.

“No one is going to force you to go,” he told her. “But you _should_ go. There are kind people down there. We will make sure you are left in the care of someone we trust. I would never allow any harm to come to you. _Ever_.”

As he comforted her, Prime M’Ress felt a brief stab of jealousy. But that was quickly washed over by a wave of shame. She cleared her head and went back to caressing her counterpart. Those feelings were completely uncalled for.

“I’m… I’m frightened,” Mirror M’Ress whispered. “But… but I think I can do it. On one condition.”

“Anything,” Noon said.

Mirror M’Ress met his eyes, hoping shining deep in her soul.

“Sleep with me.”

That stab of jealously returned to Prime M’Ress, only now it was deeper and harder to control.

“W-what?” Noon balked. “That is the LAST thing you need right now, given what you’ve been through and the type of—”

“I do not mean mating, Master,” Mirror M’Ress said, smiling shyly. “I apologize for the confusion. I meant for you to sleep with me. I don’t want to be alone.”

“Uhh…” Noon was unsure of what to say. He looked to his M’Ress for help. That deep stab of jealously subsided as her counterpart clarified. It sounded innocent enough. And besides, she had no reason to doubt Noon’s honor or integrity. Even if she was an exact duplicate of herself.

“I think it would be okay,” Prime M’Ress finally said. “And I’ll find some empty quarters if you wish to sleep here or—”

“I want you here as well,” Mirror M’Ress said. “He is your master as much as mine. I do not want to come between you two. So please stay and share this night with us.”

“He is not my…” Prime M’Ress started to correct her but decided against it. It wasn’t important. “Very well.” She turned to Noon. “Strip and lay down.”

Noon became a little flustered.

“Look, I’m not just going to—”

“Strip,” Prime M’Ress repeated, “And lay down. _Now_.”

Noon knew that tone in her voice. He sighed and did as he was told. Mirror M’Ress was taken aback.

“Maybe you really aren’t her master…” she said.

“Relationships in this universe,” Noon explained, “are more of a ‘give and take.’”

“Agreed,” Prime M’Ress purred. “I give it and he takes it. _Mrrrowwrr_.”

“Oh really?” Noon said, continuing to remove enough of his clothes to be comfortable to sleep in. “Because I recall a few times where the opposite was most definitely the case.”

Prime M’Ress leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “Only because I allowed it. That’s good enough. Come. Computer? Lights off.” She then grabbed Noon and pulled him onto the bed, between the twin Caitians. Noon found a comfortable enough spot and was then joined on either side by a M’Ress. Mirror M’Ress grasped him more tightly, refusing to give up an inch of intimacy. His own M’Ress was more familiar, loose, but no less intimate. He stretched his arms around them and laid back, basking in their combined warmth.

“You know, I—” he started, but Prime M’Ress flicked her tail up and lightly tapped him on the head.

“No,” she said, “No talking. Just sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said with humor in his voice and closed his eyes.

Noon felt like he was awake for hours, laying between the two Caitians. Maybe they were awake for the same amount of time, but he couldn’t tell. Eventually he drifted off, thinking he was one of the luckiest beings in the galaxy.

For Prime M’Ress, all she could feel laying there was unbridled joy and contentment. Being next to him, her Human… her mate. That word felt so much stronger now. So much more powerful. She curled up closer to Noon and began to purr, hoping that the morning would never come.

For Mirror M’Ress, she felt something within herself she had not felt in years. She had forgotten the word for it, but she felt it. Agony released from her heart, tears fell freely from her eyes, and she was finally, truly happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think that was kinda nice, huh? Not any real action, but still. Nice. Not every encounter with the Mirror Universe has to be fist fights and Malfoy's Dad doing some heinous shit. In and out, and M'Ress and Noon learn a little more about their feelings for each other. Plus now there's TWO M'Resses running around in the galaxy. Honestly, this chapter is an absolute win. I feel good about writing it. 
> 
> In other news, I've marathoned all of Lower Decks now and yeah, Doctor T'Ana is kinda the best. I may have to do something with that. I started this endeavor because I felt like M'Ress deserved some more love. T'Ana is definitely in that same boat. A 'Next Generation' sequel may be in order. We'll see what the future holds. 
> 
> As a final bonus, her outfit in this version of the Mirror Universe wasn't based off this design, but it's still a very nice piece of art:
> 
> https://e621.net/posts/2148124?q=parent%3A2148124
> 
> No artist as far as I can tell. I'd give some credit otherwise. If anyone knows the artist, please let me know and I'll update the description. Until then...
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> With Captain Dodge gone on other business, Noon has been given temporary command of the Hood. With the authority of the ship now his, he finds himself being given an intimate congratulations by his communications officer. 
> 
> "THE HEAD THAT WEARS A CROWN"


	12. The Head That Wears a Crown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Dodge is called off the ship, Noon takes temporary command. M'Ress gives him some help on the bridge.

“No joy rides. First and foremost. This is a starship, not a hot rod.”

“Sir, please.”

“And no wild parties. Don’t think I don’t know about Vedra’s little ‘jokes’ about brewing ale in the warp core.”

“Sir. _Please_.”

“If I come back and the hold is filled with Orion girls—”

Noon stopped dead and refused to go a step further. Dodge stopped as well and turned to face his first officer.

“Sir,” Noon said. “I don’t think you’re being very fair.”

“Possibly,” Dodge admitted. “But it’s the first time I’m letting the inmates run the asylum. So, yes, I’m feeling a little doubtful.”

“I promise you, sir, that nothing will go wrong while you’re away. Every manifold, every tube, every speck of dust will just as you left it.”

Dodge pointed a finger at him.

“I’m gonna hold you to that, Commander.”

Vedra walked past just then, doing something absently on a datapad.

“I believe you mean ‘acting captain,’ sir,” she said, still walking.

Dodge turned and yelled after her, “Not while I’m still aboard this ship!” He turned back to Noon, thought to say something, but reconsidered. “Just walk with me.” The two continued their way to the transporter room.

“You sound like this conference isn’t a huge honor,” Noon said.

“Oh no, it’s a huge honor. And a huge waste of time. I mean, a week-long conference to re-evaluate the metrics of medals and commendations? Why don’t they just make it a month and throw a series elaborate ballroom dances.”

“You’ve received a lot of those medals and commendations. Your opinion on the matter is valuable, whether you think so or not.”

“You’re only saying that because you want to come between me and the _Hood_.”

“Is that so?”

“I could tell you were jealous of our love,” Dodge accused.

“Trust me, Captain, I have more than enough female energy in my life. I don’t need to complicate that.”

Dodge smiled at him.

“Too true,” he said. “How is M’Ress’s… er… ‘sister’ doing? I hear the first month of counseling is always the hardest.”

Noon had not heard that and chose to acknowledge it indirectly. “At first it was tough for her, even after M’Ress introduced her to her counselor. But then her parents showed up, there were lots of tears and hugging, and her father is staying with her while she continues her counseling. It’s going well.”

“Good, good,” Dodge said. “It’s hard to not think of that girl as one of our own. Still though, I’m glad she didn’t stick around. You certainly don’t need the extra distraction.”

“It’s only a week, Captain. You’ll be back before anyone notices you’re gone.”

“We’ll see…” Dodge said as they entered the transporter room. Before stepping onto the pad, Dodge turned to Noon.

“Well, Commander,” he said, “I hereby officially give you command over my vessel in my stead and dub you Acting Captain.” Dodge then took his hand and mimed a knighting on Noon’s shoulders before clasping him on his shoulder. “Don’t blow up my ship.” Dodge stepped onto the pad.

“I’ll resist the temptation,” Noon said, grinning.

“Energize,” Dodge commanded. The technician activated the controls and Dodge disappeared in a glittering slick of yellow light.

Noon gave a courteous nod to the transporter technician and left the room, heading straight for the bridge. He entered the turbolift and signaled for the bridge but was stopped only a few moments later. The doors opened to reveal a madly grinning M’Ress, practically radiating good cheer.

“Good morning, _Captain_ ,” she purred, stepping onto the turbolift.

“Oh good, I’m glad we’re starting with that already,” Noon deadpanned. He started the turbolift back up.

“Was I the first one to call you Captain? Please tell me I was the first!”

Noon chuckled and said, “No comment.”

“I see. I guess you’re set on being a _no-fun_ captain.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, Lieutenant. We’ll be having plenty of fun running errands for the next few days. How could we not?”

M’Ress tilted her head in contemplation.

“I suppose _I_ shall have to provide the fun for us in these trying times.”

“In that case, I officially name you my Acting Chief Fun Officer.”

“Oh?” she said silkily. “I’ve already been your personal _Chief Fun Officer_ for the past seven months, Captain. Now I get to be the entire ship’s Chief of Fun.”

“M’Ress…” he warned, “No playing with the crew.”

“We’ll see where this week takes us. _Mrrowwrr_ …” she purred as the turbolift doors opened. “Captain on deck!” she exclaimed.

Noon sighed and stepped out after her, heading for the Big Seat. He sat in it like it was any old chair. Like he had done many times before when Dodge wasn’t on the bridge and he had command. But this time, it _did_ feel different. Because this was his ship now. His command.

Noon thought back to the last time he had total command of a ship. He gripped the arms of the chair tightly.

He would not fail.

“Lieutenant Novo, take us out of orbit and put us on a heading. Warp Factor 4.”

“Aye, sir,” said the helmswoman, setting in the course.

Noon held up his fingers in anticipation and when he knew the course was laid-in he gestured them forward.

“Take us there.”

The _Hood_ leapt into warp.

* * *

Noon walked down the dark corridor. Since he had allowed anyone to go down to the beach colony they had been surveying for a little rest and relaxation, that meant the _Hood_ was largely empty. A few stragglers here or there, but it was now pretty much just him and the ship. It was an interesting kind of energy. To feel as if he was the only one on board the vessel. He planned to take advantage of the moment and go to the bridge. There should still be a skeleton crew there, but he could dismiss them. They were safely within Federation borders above a peaceful world. Nothing would happen here.

It was a short ride up the lift to the bridge. When the doors opened, what struck Noon at first was just how quiet it was.

Too quiet.

And too unpopulated. There was no one here.

“Captain on deck~” Came a soft purr, as M’Ress turned herself around in the captain’s chair to look at Noon entering. She seated herself upon her knees and hung her arms off the back, slowly swinging her rear from side-to-side.

“M’Ress? Where is everyone?” Noon asked.

“Oh, I had everyone take the night off.”

“Even the night crew?”

“Especially them.”

“Those sons of bitches… Also, just what exactly do you think you’re doing in that chair?”

“Sitting. Obviously.”

“Lieutenant, get yourself out of that chair right now,” Noon ordered, with a hint of genuine annoyance.

“Mmmmm…” M’Ress titled her head back and forth, considering the order. “No. I’m taking over the ship.”

Noon blinked.

“Excuse you?”

“You heard me. I’ve committed mutiny and this ship is now under my command.”

Noon began to storm angrily down to the chair.

“Lieutenant, I don’t know what you think you’re—”

His sentence was cut off as he now noticed M’Ress’s uniform had ridden up her hips. Her panty-clad rear swung playfully in his face.

“…Lieutenant M’Ress, you’re trying to seduce me, aren’t you?”

“Trying? Please…” M’Ress pulled her uniform up above her breasts and pulled her underwear around her thighs. “…I already have.” Her tail stood tall, revealing her tender flower and puckered asshole to her superior officer.

Noon stood transfixed.

“Be that as it may, we CANNOT do what you’re suggesting we do,” Noon said while trying his best to fight back the urge to stick his face directly into her.

“Oh?” M’Ress asked innocently. She turned herself around and sat down fully in the chair. She finished pulling off her underwear. “And what exactly am I suggesting we do?”

“Don’t… look, you’re clearly trying to get me to have sex with you in the captain’s seat.”

M’Ress blinked at him, looking confused.

“Why, Captain. I’m afraid you don’t understand.”

She spread out her legs to either side of the chair, revealing herself fully.

“ _This_ is the captain’s seat now, sir. Prrrr~”

Noon couldn’t fight back his baser instincts anymore. He swallowed hard and drew himself up to his full height.

“…And so it is,” he said. He dropped to his knees, placed his hands underneath her thighs and stuck his face between her legs, kissing and licking her most holy of holies.

“Mmmmm… yes, Captain,” she mewled, placing a hand on his head, “Thank you for this honor…”

He tended to her as only he knew how to, playing her clit liked a finely-tuned violin. She writhed above him in bliss, softly moaning as pushing his mouth further into her. Her tail wrapped around his neck, holding him to his work. It wasn’t tight, but it was a strong enough message to keep him in his place. Noon smiled and stuck his tongue deep within her, alternating between deep treks and light licks along her outer folds to the top, her most sacred jewel.

“Aaahhh, Captain… you’re so good to me… even thou-AAH-HA! E-even though I t-took your ch-chair… AH! I… t-took your ship~”

Between kisses and lick, and even some light blowing, Noon responded.

“Oh, I’m expecting the full surrender of my mutinous comms officer shortly.”

He gave a powerful lick directly onto her wetness, swirling around her clit, sending her into a powerful fit of shudders. M’Ress’s legs tensed, her tail grew tighter and then released itself. She wailed as she came, squirting into Noon’s face as he did it his best to claim her cum.

“Very shortly,” he finished, getting to his feet and standing above her.

“I… I do…” she panted, catching her breath. “I surrender to the mercy of my commanding officer.”

Noon shook his head.

“Oh I’m afraid I can’t accept your surrender. At least not yet, Lieutenant.”

M’Ress looked up at his eyes, her own still glassy with pleasure. Noon smiled down at her and undid his pants, pulling them to his knees. He got atop of her. It was awkward to find the right footing in this position, but they managed.

M’Ress put her arms and legs around Noon and pulled him close. Her lips met his as her lower lips parted for his cock. He slid inside of her and she moaned into his mouth. He broke the kiss and gritted his teeth, keeping himself from jackhammering away. He kept his motions slow and smooth, not wanting to upset their delicate positioning in the chair. She pulled him closer and began to lick his cheek and kiss his neck. Her loving care and soft bites made him grunt and groan, matching her mewls and airy gasps.

Noon pulled his head back and placed a stern hand atop the back of the chair, getting her attention. M’Ress met his gaze as he continued to drive himself into her, over and over, the rhythm lolling them into a trance. Her paws held firm on his chest and the grip of her legs around his waist tightened. He took his other hand and held her face, running his thumb across her soft cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, pushing into his fingers, purring loudly.

Her eyes cracked open and she gazed up at him. She breathed heavily and panted, drool slowly forming to spill out of her mouth.

Noon shifted his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her into another kiss. Their tongues briefly wrestled before he parted away and once again stared deep into the warm golden abyss of her eyes.

“Lieutenant,” he whispered. “Kitte—M’Ress… I…” His pace quickened and his thrusts became more desperate.

“Atticus…” she whispered back. As he drew nearer and nearer to his end, M’Ress dipped low and dragged her tongue from the base of his neck to his chin in one agonizingly slow motion. When she finished, she licked her chops and held his face in her paw.

“Make me yours.”

Noon lost control and hilted himself within her. She took his head in her arms and pulled him into the crook of her neck.

“There you go, baby…” she cooed gently, basking in the familiar warmth of his seed spreading inside her.

Noon almost collapsed atop of her, but he kept his strength and finished coming, her hold over him making him feel strangely… reassured. He began to kiss her collarbone and neck. She hummed and loosened her grip. His trail of kisses led up her face and to her lips, where they met once again. Their mouths parted, but their foreheads remained together as they both stared down at their combined nethers. Noon pulled out, feeling he was done, but one final spurt sent a small trail of cum up her body and onto her clothes.

“Oh…” she whined. “You got my uniform dirty.”

Noon stood up straighter and gestured down to his own shirt, which now sported a series of rips and tears from her claws.

M’Ress admired her work and gave an embarrassed little shrug. Noon chuckled and she joined in, the two sharing a hearty laugh. He pulled himself up began to fix his pants.

“Done?” M’Ress asked, still spread out across the chair. Her face was still flushed, and she stilled panted in small little gasps.

Noon nodded and gave an exhale in confirmation.

“…Then send in the rest of the crew… prrrr~”

Noon cocked an eyebrow at her and broke out into laughter.

“You are… insatiable, Lieutenant. And your jokes are getting more ridiculous by the day.”

“Who’s joking?” she asked coyly.

That made him do a double take as he took another look at her, her steady breathing pushing her chest out, biting her lip in anticipation.

He stopped attending to his pants and looked at her sternly.

“What, am I not enough for you now?” he asked.

“I don’t know… are you?”

Noon approached her and pulled her onto her feet, into his arms, and into another kiss. She squealed in surprised, but still melted into the embrace. He parted his mouth from hers and looked once again into the haunting warmth of her eyes.

“I’m all you’ll ever need, M’Ress,” Noon said with absolute assurance.

“Mmmm… that’s just what I wanted to hear~” she replied and rejoined their mouths.

In the passion of their embrace, Noon didn’t notice that she turned them around, his back now to the chair. She pushed him into the seat, Noon stumbling into an awkward sitting position.

“Now take your seat, Captain,” M’Ress commanded, getting to her knees. “And allow your insubordinate officer to make up for her mutiny~”

She gently took his rod in her hand and began to clean it. Noon winced. He was still tender. As she worked him over, licking his shaft and sucking his balls, the tenderness of his flesh gave way to comfort.

“You have gotten… extraordinarily good at this, M’Ress,” Noon said.

She released his sack from his mouth and gave his tip a kiss.

“I know. I’ve had a fair amount of practice. Now call me Kitten,” she demanded, giving slow licks to his shaft.

“Oh, Kitten…” he groaned.

“Call me your mate,” she said, continuing her slow work around his rod.

“You’re my mate, Kitten. The best mate I’ve ever had.”

She stroked him now, kissing and licking his tip.

“Say that you’re mine…”

“I’m yours, Kitten… by god, am I yours…”

M’Ress nuzzled his cock, continuing her strokes as she looked up at him.

“Say that you want me… you want me wrapped around you…”

He met her gaze and smiled.

“I don’t just _want_ you; I _need_ you. Right now.”

She climbed atop him and re-inserted his cock into her already painted flower. She stretched her arms over his shoulders as he held onto her waist, every one of her grinds being met with a thrust of his own.

“I’ll… ah… I’ll always need you,” Noon groaned out.

“You’ll always have me…” she whispered back. “My Captain… ahh… my Commander… oohhh… my—mmmff! My… Atticus…”

M’Ress and Noon met again for a kiss as their passion echoed around the bridge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a short one, but it's pretty intimate. Cue sexy saxophone. 
> 
> This chapter was, in part, inspired by this piece of art from Fluff-Kevlar:
> 
> https://e621.net/posts/953420?q=m%27ress
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> "THE SNARE"
> 
> Noon's temporary command of the Hood continues.


	13. The Snare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noon's temporary command of the Hood continues.

Acting Captain’s Log, Stardate 4729.4. _The_ Hood _has been assigned to survey and contact the colonies along the Alpha Tau sector of space. There have been rumors of colonies being attacked or vandalized by an unknown alien adversary, but so far, all the colonies we’ve come across have been completely fine. It’s possible this has been a ruse of some kind, but I’m keeping the crew on their toes regardless._

“Alrighty,” Noon said. “Which colony is next?”

“We shall be arriving around Vega Wilco IV shortly, sir,” Novo responded.

“Isn’t that a farming community?” Noon asked.

“Partially,” Banks said. “It’s mostly a community of shepherds. Some textile processing I think.”

“That so?” Noon said. “I’ve always wanted to know how to make a sweater.”

“You will most likely get the opportunity,” Novo said. “Coming in orbit now.”

“Miss M’Ress, open a channel,” Noon ordered.

“Aye, Captain,” she purred. “Hailing frequency open.”

“Colony control, this is Commander Atticus Noon of the USS _Hood_ , we’re conducting a survey of the colonies in this area and we’d appreciate your cooperation.”

A few moments passed.

“No response, sir,” M’Ress said.

“Hm,” Noon pondered. “Give out a general call to any communication devices they may have down there.”

“Aye,” M’Ress responded. “…Still nothing, sir.”

“What do we think, people?” Noon asked. “Some kind of subspace disturbance interfering with their communications or are they just being rude?”

“I’m not picking up any problematic sensor readings that would interfere with communications,” Banks reported. “There is some ionic disturbance coming from some local weather patterns. I can’t get a solid reading on lifeforms, but we should still be able to hear any communications.”

“And all lines are clear, Captain,” M’Ress said. “There’s nothing wrong on our end.”

“How many colonists are supposed to be down there?” Noon inquired.

“Records say… 2,910,” Banks reported.

“That’s a whole lot of rude people,” Noon mused solemnly.

“No kidding,” Vedra deadpanned. “You’d think they still have manners this far out.”

“You’d think,” Noon agreed. “Well we’re not going to get any more answers up here.”

Noon stood up from his seat and began walking to the turbolift. “Banks, M’Ress, you’re with me. Vedra, you have the bridge. Give a call to Simmons and Dr. Chen, have them meet us in the transporter room with a team from each of their departments.”

“Aye,” Vedra responded, heading over to the Big Chair while Banks and M’Ress rushed to join Noon in the turbolift.

As the turbolift doors shut, Noon said, “If the colony is having problems with their communication systems, I’m going to need you two to fix whatever broke. Find out what exactly is going on.”

“Aye, sir,” Banks said. “And… if they aren’t?”

“If they aren’t… well, that’s why Simmons and his team are going first.”

“That’s surprising,” M’Ress said. “I would have thought you’d volunteer to go first.”

“I would, as a matter of fact. But since we have no idea what’s waiting for us down there, Simmons would sooner smack me on the back of the head with a phaser than let me go first.”

“He’s a true friend,” M’Ress said with a wry grin.

The trio entered the transporter room only a few moments before Simmons’s security team and Chen and two of his medical assistants arrived.

“Alright, gang, we have no idea what’s down there or what the situation might be,” Noon explained. “So I’ll be sending Mr. Simmons and his security team down first to scan and secure the settlement area. Once we’re clear, the rest of us will follow. Let’s get going.”

Simmons nodded and motioned for his four security officers to follow him onto the pad. Once they were in place, Simmons said, “Energize.” The team disappeared.

“Noon to bridge,” he said into his communicator, “Do we have the away team on comms?”

“Yes, sir,” Vedra responded.

“Patch them through to the transporter room,” Noon said.

“You’re on, Captain,” Vedra responded after a few seconds.

“Simmons, how’s it looking down there?” Noon asked.

“Ghost town, Captain,” Simmons reported. “No one in sight and the tricorders aren’t picking up any lifeforms close to the settlement. No errant readings of any kind. You’re clear to join us.”

“We hear you, Simmons,” Noon said. “We’re heading down now.”

“Loud and clear,” Simmons said.

The remaining members hopped onto the pad. Noon gave the word, and they were transported down to the planet’s surface. Simmons was right. The colony was completely empty. They stood just off-center of a large square located at the heart of the settlement. This place should have been bustling with activity at this time of day, but there was nothing. As soon as they arrived, Banks and M’Ress began running sensor sweeps and communication checks.

“Anything?” Noon asked them.

“Nothing,” Banks said. “Exactly what Simmons said. Ghost town.”

“There’s a little static on the local frequencies,” M’Ress stated. “But nothing so severe as to interfere with starship communication.”

“Hmm. Alright then,” Noon said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s start a search. Everyone break up into teams, look for any colonists or signs of life. Simmons, Doc, you’re both with me. We’ll hit the outskirts of town. Banks, M’Ress, head on over to the communications center, see if you can find out anything more there. Take Ensigns Gonzales and T’Cord with you. Everyone else search the settlement. Every nook and cranny. Make sure to check in over standard intervals. happy hunting.”

As everyone went their separate ways, M’Ress spared a moment to give Noon a reassuring smile that he reciprocated with a wink. Noon, Chen, and Simmons made a line for the outlying buildings and around the settlement. While they walked, Chen kept up a constant scan, making sure he didn’t miss any signs of life.

“So what the hell is going on here?” Noon asked to neither man in particular.

“Alien abductions?” Simmons suggested.

“Don’t be so fanciful,” Chen chided. “There’s a logical explanation for this.”

“Doc, if the colonists packed up and moved by choice, they would have actually _packed up_. From what I can see… all these homes are still full of possessions.”

“If an abduction had taken place, there would be signs of a struggle. Anomalous energy readings. You can’t just take almost three thousand colonists without leaving some sort of sign.”

“A sign like… say, a big crater in the ground?” Noon suggested.

“Is there a sign like that?” Chen asked.

“Yep. Right ahead.” Chen looked and saw the crater Noon was talking about. A black gash in a street that separated a row of buildings from the fields neighboring the settlement.

The trio walked up, and Chen began to take readings off his tricorder.

“Faint… plasma energy? No way for me to tell what kind of weapon made this,” he said.

“Nonetheless… phasers out. Highest stun setting,” Noon commanded, pulling out his own along with his communicator. “This is the Captain. We discovered a small impact crater of some sort. Made by plasma energy. Everyone arm themselves, highest stun setting, be on alert.”

“Captain, this is M’Ress,” the Lieutenant’s voice chimed over the communicator. “We made it to the comms station. _Prrowwwrr_.”

“What’s it look like?”

“It makes sense why we haven’t heard anything from this station,” M’Ress said. “Everything here has been smashed to bits. Banks is looking over the broken equipment now.”

“I hear you,” Noon said, giving a shake of worry to Simmons and Chen. “Stay on high alert. Contact us as soon you find out anything. Noon out.”

“Looks like someone’s been having some fun down here,” Simmons said.

“Yeah. But not the kind of fun I approve of,” Noon said. “But which direction now…?” 

“Actually,” Chen said, studying his tricorder closely. “I’m getting more of that plasma reading coming from outside of town, in the fields.”

“Let’s head out,” Noon said. The three men walked out of town, following Chen’s tricorder readings.

It was an idyllic sight. Green grassy fields rolled over the hills. Small barns, farmhouses, and patches of trees dotted the countryside. The terraformers outdid themselves here. The trio went up to a farmhouse, spooking some sheep along the way, and checked inside. No one was there. Lunch was on the table. Maybe half a day old. They continued their trek, following Chen’s tricorder readings.

They were about three miles outside of town when the readings began to intensify.

“Whatever it is, we’re getting closer to it,” Chen said.

“Sir… did you notice the footprints?” Simmons asked.

Noon looked down and saw that there were indeed the faint indications of several sets of footprints on the ground. It was impossible to tell how many, but there must have been dozens. Maybe hundreds.

“I thought it was just a widely-used trail, but this is fresh…” Noon whispered.

“Sir… smoke,” Simmons said. Noon looked up and saw a faint wisp of smoke rising beyond the next hill.

“The readings are coming from there,” Chen said, already picking up the pace. Noon and Simmons joined him, jogging towards the smoke.

Then Noon began to smell something foul. A rotting stench.

“Sir…” Chen started.

“I know,” Noon panted. “I smell it too.” And he began to pick up the pace, running full pelt up the hill. Simmons and Chen kept on his tail as the stench became thicker and thicker. Noon broke over the top of the hill and looked down below.

He didn’t quite know what he was looking at.

At first.

There was a lot of smoke, but through the smoke, he could make out shapes. The vague indications of bodies. Burnt to a crisp.

“Oh, God,” Simmons swore, putting an arm up to cover his nose.

Chen was about to run down, but Noon caught his shoulder. Chen looked at him, desperation heavy on his face. Noon just shook his head. The Doctor looked back at the pyre and fell to his knees. Noon turned around and pulled out his communicator.

“This is the captain,” he said solemnly. “We… _found_ the colonists.”

“Where are they?” It was Banks. He sounded distracted, busy. He must still be working on the equipment.

“Dead. A mile or so outside of the settlement. It’s a massacre. They’ve all been burnt in a giant pyre.”

“What?” M’Ress whispered, horrified. 

“Whoever did this collected the colonists up in one group and marched them out here,” Noon said. “They even cleared the farms.” Noon looked up; the clouds were starting to break apart. “The weather is starting to clear. _Hood_ , can you hear me? Have you been listening?”

“We… we have, Captain,” Vedra replied.

“Do another scan of lifeforms,” Noon ordered. “Whoever did this might have missed _someone_.”

“We already did,” Vedra reported. “Other than the away team, there are a few anomalous life readings down there. But we can’t be sure if they’re human or not.”

“Understood,” Noon said. “Start coordinating response teams, get them as close as possible to those anomalous readings. Make sure they’re prepared for anything.”

“Actually, the closest one to the settlement is about half a click to the west of your position,” Vedra reported.

“We’re on it. Away team? Regroup at the comms stations. Set phasers to kill. Noon out.” He closed his communicator and turned back to the pyre. Chen was still on his knees, Simmons stared blankly, his arm still covering his face. Noon took in another sight of it himself. Then he sighed.

“Let’s move,” he barked. “Half a click west. There might still be someone alive to tell us what happened.”

“Or someone to answer for this bloodbath,” Simmons whispered venomously, tearing his eyes away and starting westward.

“That too,” Noon agreed, flipping his phaser to the kill setting. “Chen, let’s move.”

Noon took a few steps before realizing Chen hadn’t moved. He turned around and walked back over to the kneeling doctor. He crouched down next to the doctor, staring at the bodies.

“Chen,” Noon said. “There’s nothing you can do here.”

“I know,” the doctor said. But he still didn’t stir from his spot on the ground.

“There might be someone out there who needs you. We can’t waste any more time here.”

Chen closed his eyes and visibly collected his swirling emotions.

“…Okay,” he whispered. Noon stood up first and helped the doctor to his feet.

“We’ll find out who did this,” Noon promised.

“Revenge,” Chen said, walking with Noon, “Is for the weak, Captain.”

“Agreed. But so is mass murder,” Noon said. “Either way, we’re still going to get to the bottom of this.”

The two caught up with Simmons and began the walk over to the life reading. After a while, Chen began to pick up the reading himself. It led them towards an outcropping of rocks atop a hill. They walked up and began to search the formation.

Noon pulled out his tricorder to try and follow a reading.

“Alright,” he said, “split up and look around. This is close enough that if someone did get away, this would be a pretty good hiding place.”

They each took a different section of rock and walked slowly through the croppings. Noon stuck out his tricorder with one hand, trying to follow the rogue readings while steadying his phaser with the other. It was dead quiet. No sounds. Nothing. Even the wind was dead. He thought about calling out to one his companions, but reconsidered. Whatever was here might not be friendly. He made his way to the outside of the rocks and looked down the hill.

Noon took this moment to shut his eyes and breath in deeply. Keeping himself together had been tough but knowing that he had to in the face of such horror kept him steady. His crew needed him to be strong. He would not break. Later, he’d definitely need some drinks to push away the memory of the bodies. But for now, he’d steel his nerves. Push away his emotions. Chen was right. Even the anger had to go too. Whoever did this had to be punished lawfully. Death cannot atone for death.

His communicator beeped, waking him from his thoughts. He flipped it open.

“Noon here,” he said.

“Captain!” it was Vedra. “The interference has cleared up; we’re reading two life signatures in your area! Definitely non-human!”

“ _Captain…_ ” Something hissed behind Noon.

He turned around quickly, phaser raised, but something heavy slammed into his chest and threw him down the hill. He cried out as he flew through the air and smashed into the ground, rolling a few meters more until he was at the bottom. His head buzzed with dizziness, but he managed to get to his feet. Noon took a few unsteady steps towards the rocks, but then something strong wrapped itself around his neck. His hands flung up to his throat and felt something scaly. Clawing at it, he tried to get away, but whatever had him gave a sharp pull.

Noon then heard some more hissing speech and out of the corner of his eye saw some kind of device grasped in a clawed hand. He tried to reach for it but his hand was slapped out of the way. He then began to feel the tell-tale signs of a transportation kicking on. He had just enough time to hear Simmons crying out his name before the planet disappeared around him.

His surroundings came back into focus in the form of a dark room with hazy lighting. Noon fought hard against his captor but was thrown harshly at the ground. Attempting to get to his feet, something kicked him hard, causing him to flip over onto his back. He let out a loud “oof” and tried to stand again, only to have a large foot plant itself firmly on his chest.

He tried to grab at the foot, force it to move, but it wouldn’t budge. He looked up at whoever the foot belonged to and saw the form of a giant reptile-shaped humanoid.

“Welcome to our ssshhhip, human,” the thing snarled. “The Gorn welcome you with open armssssss…”

* * *

“What the hell is going on down there!?” Vedra exclaimed.

“Something got Noon!” Simmons yelled. “I don’t what is was, something big and green! There was another one here, they both beamed away!”

“Transporter room!” Vedra barked. “Beam the away team back up here now!”

“Sir,” Novo said calmly. “A ship has appeared on our sensors. It’s beginning to warp out of the system.”

“Shields up, load torpedoes and arm the phasers,” Vedra commanded. “Move into attack position as soon as we have the away team.”

“Aye, sir,” Novo said.

“All away team members are back on board,” the transporter chief reported.

“Chase them down, Lieutenant.”

The _Hood_ moved toward the enemy ship, preparing to disable it. But then the ship powered up and warped away. Vedra swore and slammed a fist on the armrest.

“Match whatever Warp that ship has gone to! Do not let it get away!”

“Right away,” Novo replied. “Going into warp.”

The _Hood_ leapt forward into warp, giving hard chase.

The turbolift doors opened. Banks, M’Ress, Simmons, and Chen walked onto the bridge, relieving the crewmen at their stations.

“What happened down there?” Vedra asked.

“Like I said,” Simmons retorted, “Something grabbed the captain. One of them pushed him off the hill we were on down to another one at the bottom. They both beamed away before I could do anything.”

“Do you have any idea what they were?” Vedra asked.

“No, but they were big and green and scaly. Like giant lizards.”

M’Ress turned around quickly. “Gorn?” She asked, worry thick in her voice.

“No, it couldn’t be,” Banks said, shaking his head. “Gorn space is close, but it’s relatively far enough away that they wouldn’t raid this area. There are much closer colonies and as far as we know they wouldn’t even bother to go outside their territory.”

“Here…” Simmons walked over to Banks’ station. “Pull up an image of a Gorn. I could definitely recognize it if it is.”

“Sir?” it was Novo. “We’re losing distant from the enemy ship.”

“Divert power from the phaser banks and non-essential systems to the engines,” Vedra ordered. She pushed a comms button on the chair. “Engineering? Bridgette, you down there?”

“Yes, I’m here,” she responded. Vedra considered Bridgette her right hand in all matters engineering.

“You give me every scrap of power these engines have,” Vedra said. “We are _not_ going to lose that ship.”

“On it, ma’am!” Bridgette replied.

“That’s definitely what I saw,” Simmons confirmed, looking at Banks’ console. “Unless there’s another species that looks exactly like a Gorn, it’s definitely them.”

“That doesn’t make sense!” Banks exclaimed. “They’re vicious, they’ve cleared out colonies before, but only when territory was an issue! That colony was nowhere near Gorn space!”

“Looks like they’re expanding…” Chen whispered, eyes glued to the view screen.

“We’ll sort out their motives once we incapacitate that ship,” Vedra said. “Until then, we keep up the pace. We’re not letting them get away with Noon.”

She then began to direct Simmons and the rest to come up with strategies to counter what they knew about Gorn ships.

M’Ress had kept quiet. She had heard stories of Gorn brutality and savagery. Her heart thundered in her chest. Her thoughts centered on Noon. They had to get him back. And soon.

They had to.

**_To Be Continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT TIME ON THE CAITIAN'S PAW:
> 
> "THE SNARE, PART II"


End file.
